During the epidemic period, the suspension of classes in educational institutions was made for the needs of national policies and epidemic prevention and control, and it was a force majeure factor. According to the provisions of the Labor Law, during the period when production and business activities are stopped due to force majeure, the employing unit shall protect the legitimate rights and interests of workers, and may not unilaterally terminate the labor contract or reduce the wages and welfare benefits of workers.

Therefore, during the epidemic, educational institutions cannot dismiss employees at will because of the suspension of classes. However, educational institutions can negotiate with employees according to the actual situation, for example, they can reach an agreement with employees to reduce working hours or adjust wages and salaries to jointly cope with the impact of the epidemic. It is suggested that educational institutions should follow relevant laws, regulations and policies to protect the legitimate rights and interests of employees when making relevant decisions.