A recent report has cast a shadow over Star Automotive Lighting Co., Ltd. (星宇股份), a prominent A-share listed company specializing in automotive lighting. Accusations have surfaced regarding the company’s alleged ‘humiliating’ dismissal of recent graduates hired for its 2025 autumn recruitment drive. The controversy centers on a purported scheme to pressure around 400 new hires, many holding master’s degrees from prestigious universities, into leaving the company shortly after their induction.
The Allegations
According to reports, the company recruited a significant number of fresh graduates for R&D, technical, and management trainee positions, with a promise of a one-month production line internship followed by a transition to technical roles. However, approximately one month after these employees officially joined in July 2026, HR representatives reportedly began one-on-one meetings, presenting a stark choice.
The ‘Humiliating’ Choice
The alleged ultimatum offered was:
- Voluntary Resignation: Employees could sign an agreement stating ‘personal reasons for leaving’ on the same day, in exchange for half a month’s salary as compensation.
- Forced Reassignment: Those who refused to resign would be mandatorily transferred to frontline production work, such as ‘screwing in bolts’ or ‘plugging in wires.’ The initial one-month internship would be extended to three months, with salary recalculated according to the standards of a general assembly line worker.
The report claims that approximately 70% of the new graduates, nearly 300 individuals, succumbed to the pressure and signed the resignation agreements. The remaining 120 were reportedly compelled to accept the frontline roles.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
Legal experts have weighed in on the matter, suggesting that the company’s actions may contravene labor laws. They have advised the relevant labor inspection departments to proactively investigate the situation and have encouraged the affected students to preserve evidence for potential labor arbitration.
About Star Automotive Lighting Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1993 and incorporated as a joint-stock company in 2007, Star Automotive Lighting Co., Ltd. successfully listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in February 2011. The company is a major manufacturer and design solution provider for automotive lighting systems in China. Its extensive facilities include factories for headlights, taillights, signal lights, electronics, molds, and tooling. Equipped with over 4,500 processing machines and more than 200 assembly lines, the company boasts an annual production capacity of 80 million sets of automotive lights.
Star Automotive Lighting’s product portfolio caters to a wide range of domestic and international vehicle manufacturers, including German, Japanese, American, French, and Chinese brands. The company focuses on the research, development, design, manufacturing, and sales of comprehensive automotive lighting assemblies.
The controversy raises significant questions about corporate ethics and adherence to labor regulations, particularly concerning the treatment of new talent entering the workforce.
