Employee requests sick leave. Founder’s reply triggers Internet outrage. Netizens urge: ‘Start applying for jobs’

An unhappy employee recently turned to the Reddit community dedicated to workplace discussions in India to recount an unsettling experience involving his company’s leadership. The worker explained that when he applied for medical leave due to feeling unwell, the response he received from the company’s founder struck him as dismissive and lacking empathy. Instead of offering understanding or support, the founder’s message reportedly stated that the employee could indeed take time off—but the leave would be unpaid.

The Employee’s Account of the Incident

The individual shared a screenshot of the email exchange to illustrate the situation. According to his explanation, he is employed at a Software-as-a-Service startup located in Noida. On the night before the incident, his neighborhood experienced a prolonged electricity failure. Because of the outage, he struggled to sleep through the night and woke up the next morning feeling physically exhausted and unwell.

Recognizing that he was not in a condition to work effectively, he decided to inform the human resources department and request a sick day so he could rest and recover. The employee emphasized that he had rarely taken time off in the six months he had been working at the company. In fact, he said this was only the second day of leave he had requested since joining.


However, the reply he received did not meet his expectations. Instead of being granted standard medical leave, he was told that taking the day off would result in a deduction from his pay. Soon after, the founder contacted him directly by phone. During the conversation, the employee again explained that he was not feeling well enough to work. The founder reportedly dismissed his concerns, remarking that he sounded perfectly healthy over the call.

Online Community Responds

Members of the online forum quickly reacted to the story, with many expressing frustration over what they viewed as insensitive treatment by people in positions of authority. Several users criticized leaders who fail to treat their teams with dignity and compassion. One commenter questioned why some executives appear to believe that employees must remain under strict control, as if they were being forced to obey rather than respected as professionals.

The same user offered words of encouragement to the employee, wishing him strength and hoping he would soon find a healthier workplace environment if he chose to move on.

Another Worker Shares a Similar Experience

A different participant in the discussion contributed his own troubling story. He explained that during his time at a previous organization, he rarely took vacations or unplanned days off. Yet toward the end of December 2025, he fell seriously ill with a viral infection accompanied by lung complications that made breathing difficult.

His doctor advised several days of complete rest, so he submitted a medical leave request along with supporting test reports. Although the leave was initially approved, the situation took a surprising turn later. When salary payments were due, his wages did not appear in his bank account.

After making inquiries, he discovered that the company’s director had temporarily withheld his payment because the leave had been taken on short notice. He described the experience as humiliating, saying it felt degrading to request the release of money he had already earned through his work.

Two days later, the salary was finally transferred. However, the incident left a lasting impression. The employee said the experience convinced him that remaining with an employer who fails to respect its workforce is not worthwhile. Soon afterward, he decided to resign and pursue opportunities in organizations where employees are treated with greater fairness and appreciation.