A court in Beijing has ruled that a food company was wrong in firing an unmarried employee for getting pregnant and ordered a compensation of 9,000 yuan ($1,471).

The unmarried woman, surnamed Zhang, was laid off after giving birth in November 2011. The company insisted she broke its rules.

Zhang resorted to the Arbitration Commission for Labor Dispute in Shunyi district and won its support, before the company appealed to the court, refusing to pay the severance.

The court issued the ruling in Zhang's favor, saying the company should compensate Zhang for its wrongful dismissal.