Liu Lingli, an English teacher of the Bowen College of Lanzhou Jiaotong University, dies on Aug. 14. (Photo/China Youth Daily)
(ECNS) -- A female teacher in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province was illegally fired by a college as she battled cancer, according to a recent court ruling, but she didn't live to see the legal decision, China Youth Daily reported.
Liu Lingli, an English teacher with a master's degree, was dismissed from Bowen College of Lanzhou Jiaotong University in January 2015 while undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, losing her salary and medical insurance.
The school's argument that Liu was fired due to absenteeism was denied by the Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court, which ruled she and the college still had an employment relationship, and required the school to meet its obligations.
But with the school continuing to seek delays in the court hearing, Liu did not live to see the judgment. She died on Aug 14, aged 32.
Liu's mother once begged the college to continue paying her daughter's medical insurance contribution to ensure further treatment, but was refused. The mother quoted one of the leaders at the school saying: "Don't cry in front of me. I have experienced a lot of such things."
Attorney Cai Xiang said the college's decision to fire Liu was a violation of the law, and her family can file a lawsuit against the school over its failure to pay her medical insurance.
Without a salary or medical insurance, Liu was forced to sell clothes on the street during treatment, her mother said. Liu's father is also affected with cancer.
Wang Shibin, an official with the college, refused to comment, and Chen Ling, the college president who signed Lui's dismissal papers, did not answer phone calls, the report said.
