(Minghui.org) My one-year legal battle finally came to an end at the end of 2021. The Municipal Intermediate Court made a final decision―my employer had to compensate me for my financial loss. He had to pay the highest possible amount, 40,200 yuan. This was equal to one year of my salary plus interest.
I’d like to share my cultivation experience in using legal means to stand up against the financial persecution by my employer.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a “zero-out” campaign to harass and persecute Falun Dafa practitioners in 2019. The campaign aims to force every Falun Dafa practitioner on the government’s blacklist to renounce their faith. Local authorities across the country often went door to door to “work on” local practitioners.
I ran a small shop but had to close it because the police constantly harassed me. I found a job at a company in the area.
The “zero-out” harassment returned in November 2020. This time it was not out in the open, but done covertly. The harassers made my employer suspend me, and ordered me to submit proof and documents of my political record. I was then dismissed with no explanation.
How was I supposed to make a living and pay my son’s tuition without any income? I could not tell my elderly parents what happened, and I didn’t know what to do.
Master said,
“Forbearance (ren) is not cowardice, much less is it resigning oneself to adversity. Dafa disciples’ Forbearance is noble; is the manifestation of beings’ magnificent, indestructible, and diamond-like solidity; is tolerance for the purpose of upholding the truth; and is mercy toward and salvation of beings who still have human nature and decent thoughts. Forbearance is absolutely not the limitless giving of free rein, which would allow the evil beings who no longer have any human nature or decent thoughts to do evil without end.” (“Beyond What Can Be Forborne,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress II)
I knew that I had to face the situation. My employer was brainwashed by the CCP’s propaganda and refused to hear me talk about Dafa. I reported my situation to the supervisor, management team, and human resources personnel, but they all refused to explain why I was let go. I had a feeling they were pressured by their superiors and couldn’t talk.
I had a conversation with someone and was reminded that I could protect my rights through legal means. Master Li was probably giving me hints about my next step.
The CCP has been persecuting me for 22 years. I was fired from my job, illegally sentenced, and left with a broken family. I could hardly make ends meet, let alone hire a lawyer from another area. I didn’t understand the legal process and couldn’t even write a legal document. How was I going to file a lawsuit?
Eventually I realized that I should not depend on anyone. In 2015, practitioners filed criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin, the former CCP leader who ordered the persecution of Falun Dafa. That was the first time I heard about using legal means to protect our rights.
I spent several days going over the issue. I was aware that knowledgeable practitioners could provide legal assistance. I had also reported the police who harassed me to the 12389 platform, a complaint hotline. But I still felt a lot of pressure, so I asked Master for the wisdom to walk my path well.
I usually had a good understanding of the Fa principles, and I discussed cultivation issues with other practitioners. But I felt stuck this time and didn’t know how to take the first step.
Practitioners are walking on the path toward godhood, so I couldn’t depend on regular people and should forge ahead on my path. I found articles on labor arbitration and related cases. I collected and printed out the information and evidence. A lawyer made some revisions and charged me 50 yuan for consultation. I was so happy to get a formal legal document.
After organizing the materials, I submitted an application for labor arbitration to the Labor Bureau on January 12, 2021, accusing my employer of illegally rescinding my contract. A week later, the Labor Bureau turned down my application, saying that it was not within their scope. They suggested that I file my case with the court.
The next step was to learn about the legal process. I was prepared to see this through and visited many government agencies. I raised questions and learned. A friend said that it was impossible to win a labor dispute against a state-owned enterprise. He tried to persuade me to give up and to avoid trouble. I had no point of reference and no examples to follow. It was not going to be an easy ride. I often asked Master to guide me and enlighten me to do the right thing.
The statement of charges and complaint must follow a list of written requirements. The characters should be in SimSun font, and the sentences need to be written fluently with proper punctuation. I wrote the statement at home and had a lawyer make the revisions.
I ran into all kinds of interference when I tried to file my complaint. Either the lines were too long and I couldn’t file, or the office was closed due to meetings and training. The court was going to close in a few days because of the Chinese New Year. I went to the court every morning for a week, and they finally accepted my case.
I received a court subpoena after the new year, informing me of the date and time of the court session. I felt a sense of relief knowing that I had the opportunity to speak up against the financial persecution of Dafa practitioners.
Whenever I had questions or didn’t know what to do, I would meet people who guided me or showed me the ropes. I followed their instructions and visited the Discipline Inspection Commission, the Labor Inspection Team, and other departments. When I walked the path right and was not fooled by the surface appearance of things, my situation changed accordingly.
I read the Fa, did the five exercises, sent righteous thoughts, and visited the Minghui website every morning. I spent the afternoons searching for information, revising the materials, and sometimes sharing with practitioners.
The legal process was a cultivation test for me, and it wasn’t something that I could just glide through. My legs got weak when I first went to the government agency, and it took me a while to face the challenge with righteousness. I realized that clarifying the truth helped me eliminate selfishness and it was also a manifestation of Dafa’s compassion.
In March 2021, I received a notice from the court saying the trial was being held as scheduled. I went to the court by myself, and several practitioners sent forth righteous thoughts outside the court. My employer’s lawyer asked the court to dismiss my lawsuit. He didn’t acknowledge the evidence I presented and kept asking the judge to revoke my complaint. The lawyer also submitted a copy of my illegal trial handled by the CCP’s court 20 years ago, and made a big fuss about it.
I recited a document from the Ministry of Public Security and articles from Announcement 50 issued by the General Administration of Press and Publication, stating the legality of Falun Dafa. Seeing that I was dissatisfied with the previous illegal judgment, the judge said that I could appeal. Although I had prepared for this for a long time, I felt I didn’t say everything I wanted to say. Fortunately, the clerk told me that I could submit additional written documents afterward. I took the clerk’s advice, submitted the information to the court, and waited for the judgment.
The court notified me of the verdict in May 2021. The first-instance judgment determined that my employer had illegally rescinded my contract. According to the law, the company would have to compensate me the highest amount.
Minghui website reported in March 2021 that the CCP’s public prosecutors and law enforcement officers will be held accountable for their (illegal) actions that date back to up to 20 years in the past. By June 30, 2021, I submitted a list to the provincial inspection team and the 12337 political and legal reporting platform, under my real name, in writing and online. The list included perpetrators from the local national security, the police station, the procuratorate, and the court. I wanted those who participated in the persecution to be held responsible for what they did.
My employer refused to accept the first-instance judgment and submitted the case to the Municipal Intermediate Court, requesting the court revoke the first-instance judgment and dismiss my claim. I went to the Municipal Intermediate Court alone for a hearing in October 2021.
The night before the hearing, I dreamed that I was using all my strength to ride a bicycle on a tall mountain ridge. Someone on another bicycle rode past me and stopped. He said, “How can you go there by yourself? I should go with you.” When I woke up, I realized that he was my protector. Cultivating in Dafa is amazing!
I remembered what I failed to cover in the last hearing. Therefore, during the second-instance defense, I submitted additional evidence showing that my employer had discriminated against me. I said my employer abused his power and ignored the laws and regulations. And I asked the court to judge impartially.
At the end of October, I received the verdict from the Intermediate Court, upholding the original judgment. I received full compensation in one lump sum a month later.
Practitioners were happy for me. I did the right thing under Master’s protection. I once checked the progress of the case on the court’s official website, and I discovered that many people watched the video of the first-instance trial. It seemed that local lawyers, labor bureaus, and courts were also paying attention to my case.
I stumbled and fell during that one-year period and went from being worried to feeling at ease. Thank you, Master, for your compassionate protection!