Don’t believe the myth that “staying at work counts as a workplace injury”: if you suddenly feel unwell, call 120 first

Cost: No cost at all.
In plain terms: Hurrying to the office when you suddenly feel unwell won’t earn you any extra compensation. To be classified as a workplace injury, the incident must occur during working hours and at the workplace; if it happens on the way to work before you even arrive, it doesn’t qualify. Cases where medical treatment is delayed past 48 hours also don’t count. Those few extra minutes spent trying to meet the criteria can actually lower your chances of survival.
Benefit: This rule states that a worker must suffer a sudden illness during working hours at their workplace, and then die within 48 hours despite medical efforts, to be deemed a workplace injury. Delaying medical care just to meet these conditions means sacrificing your own chance of survival for compensation that you might not even receive.
Evidence grade: A
Sources:工伤保险条例第十五条第一款第（一）项：「在工作时间和工作岗位，突发疾病死亡或者在48小时之内经抢救无效死亡的」视同工伤；第十四条第（六）项只把上下班途中「受到非本人主要责任的交通事故或者城市轨道交通、客运轮渡、火车事故伤害的」列为工伤，途中突发疾病不在其中. https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2011/content_1778064.htm
Notes: Both conditions must be met: the illness must occur during working hours and at the workplace. It does not apply if the illness strikes on the way to work before reaching the office. If a worker falls ill at work, is taken home or to hospital, and dies within 48 hours despite treatment, this rule may still apply. What matters most is where the person was at the moment of illness, not where they ultimately die. Some short videos wrongly claim that “staying at work guarantees compensation”; in reality, those crucial first few minutes after falling ill — when prompt medical care is sought — are what truly determine the outcome. Additionally, the 48‑hour limit is strict: any case where treatment is delayed beyond this period does not qualify.

Don’t believe the myth that “staying at work counts as a workplace injury”: if you suddenly feel unwell, call 120 first — don’t rush to clock in