Employees from the Third Division of BYD, a Shenzhen-based auto and IT company, complained that BYD forced a turnover of 25 percent of company's staff to its newly-built factory in Huizhou, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported Friday.

The verbal order came in late February with a warning that disobeyers would be dismissed by default, said the report.

Ren, one of the employees forced to transfer, said the company was imposing an indirect layoff.

Helpless against the transfer order, Ren, together with 15 other colleagues in her department, had to resign in early March.

For those who were not asked to leave, their performance pay has been reduced by 18 percent, said Cai, who was also on the transfer list.

The personnel transfer was most likely related to the economic returns of the Third Division, employees said.

Jiang, one of the directors of the Third Division of BYD, declined to comment on the event, the report said.