Bengaluru HR explains ‘sandwich leave’ policy that could ruin your long weekend plans. LinkedIn post leaves internet fuming
A Bengaluru HR professional's LinkedIn post ignited debate over the "sandwich leave" policy, where taking leave around weekends or holidays results in extra leave deductions. This HR rule, intended for fair leave management and work continuity, ha...

Long weekends are every employee’s little slice of heaven — a rare chance to truly switch off. But for many, that bliss can vanish in a flash, thanks to something called the “sandwich leave” policy. Recently, a Bengaluru-based PR professional took to LinkedIn to break down this HR rule, sparking outrage online. The post revealed how a single day off between two holidays could cost you more leave than you bargained for, leaving netizens fuming.
In her post, she broke down how the policy works. If an employee takes leave on both sides of a weekly off or public holiday, the days in between are also counted as leave. For example, taking Friday and Monday off around a weekend means all four days — Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday — are deducted from your leave balance. According to her, this system ensures fair leave management, discourages using minimal days for long breaks, and maintains work continuity. She also noted that exceptions may be granted for official duties or medical emergencies, subject to HR approval.
Internet reacts
The post eventually made its way to Reddit, where users had strong opinions. Many questioned the purpose of the policy beyond making employees unhappy, pointing out that weekends are already non-working days and should not be deducted from leave. Some noted that for such a rule to even be legal, the weekend or holiday days would have to be paid. Others criticised the mindset of HR departments in India, calling it overly restrictive and counterproductive. A few sarcastically suggested that the policy sounded like a deliberate strategy to push employees to quit, saving companies money in the process.What do you think of it?
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