A Noida‑based SaaS startup has drawn criticism after an employee claimed that his same‑day sick leave request was denied by the company’s founder, who instructed HR to mark the absence as leave without pay (LWP). The incident was shared on Reddit where screenshots of the email exchange were posted.
According to the post by user Competitive-Cap-4869, the employee wrote to HR early in the morning stating that he was unwell and unable to attend work after a night‑long electricity outage left him fatigued. He requested a sick leave for the day, noting that this was only his second leave in six months with the company.
The founder, however, allegedly responded directly to HR, writing, “Mark this as Leave without pay. Don’t approve same day leaves.” A screenshot shared by the employee shows the instruction addressed to an HR representative.
The employee added that the founder also called him, dismissing the request with the remark, “You sound just fine,” and reiterated that sick leave could not be taken on the same day.
“Is this my sign to switch companies? Did I do anything wrong?” the employee asked. In later comments, he said he had begun updating his résumé and LinkedIn profile.
Reddit users criticise workplace culture
The post triggered strong reactions from other Reddit users, many criticising what they described as rigid and unreasonable leave policies.
One user wrote, “Can’t treat their employees right… what do they think we are, some kind of slave in their eyes?” Another commented: “You didn’t do anything wrong by taking sick leave… you should start applying for other jobs.” The user also shared a personal experience in which a previous employer withheld salary after they took doctor‑advised medical leave.
Reddit user Latter-Ask8818 suggested responding formally to HR, asking: “Is it mandatory to fall ill one day prior to take leave the next day?”
Broader debate on sick leave norms
The post reignited discussions on workplace culture in Indian startups. Several commenters said the incident reflected a recurring pattern where employee well‑being is deprioritised in the interest of strict attendance expectations.
In a similar incident, a corporate employee’s story went viral after he shared that his manager rejected his sick leave, claiming that “sick leave requires being hospitalised”. The employee said he had developed a fever and stomach issues.
Disclaimer: The story is based on an account shared on Reddit. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the claims.
