996.ICU was initiated by IT professionals, originating from a sarcastic saying within the Chinese developer community: "Work by '996', sick in ICU". It bluntly points out the potential health risks of adhering to the "996" work schedule, which could ultimately lead to a stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The "996" work schedule is an unofficial system requiring employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. Employees following this system work at least 60 hours per week, significantly exceeding standard working hour norms. China's Labor Law explicitly stipulates a system where workers shall not work more than eight hours a day and the average weekly working hours shall not exceed forty-four hours. The "996" schedule clearly violates these legal requirements.
Official media have clearly stated that "996 will eventually disappear", affirming the legitimacy of workers' rights protection and opposing the rationalization of mandatory overtime.
Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, once claimed that "being able to work 996 is a huge blessing," later adding that "no company should, and cannot, force employees to work 996."
Richard Liu, founder of JD.com, declared that they "will never force employees to work 996," although some anonymous employees reported that departments were ranked based on overtime hours worked.
Bai Ya, founder of Youzan, believes that "looking back years later, 996 will certainly be seen as the right decision."
The influence of 996.ICU has spread, spawning several related derivative projects: