Gen Z employee resigns after manager asks her to work during a leave, sparks debate on work ethic

A viral post on X has sparked a debate over workplace expectations, employee loyalty and attitudes among Gen Z workers after an X user shared an account of two young employees who resigned from their jobs in quick succession. The post has received more than 260,000 views.

The discussion began when an X user shared an incident involving a friend who works as a corporate manager. According to the user, the manager had been struggling with what she described as the “Gen Z attitude” in the workplace.

Employee extended sick leave after work-from-home request

According to the post, one employee had taken sick leave when her manager later asked whether she could work from home for some time. The request allegedly upset the employee, who subsequently extended her leave.


The employee then reportedly attended job interviews elsewhere, secured another position and submitted her resignation soon afterward.

The account claimed that another young employee on the same team witnessed what had happened and soon made a similar decision.

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Second employee sought notice adjustment through paid leave

According to Sheetal, the second employee informed the company that he did not intend to serve his notice period. Instead, he wanted his accumulated paid leave to be adjusted against the required notice period so he could leave immediately.

The account quickly gained traction on X, with professionals from different generations weighing in on whether employees should remain available while on leave, how much loyalty employers can expect and what consequences workers may face when leaving abruptly.

Some users backed the employees

Several commenters sided with the employees and argued that workers should not be expected to remain available during approved leave.

One user said the manager was partly responsible for the outcome, recalling their own experience as a Gen X manager.

“Ha ha... your friend deserves this. I was a Gen X manager and once people are on leave they are never disturbed. My policy was that there is nothing in the world that needs urgent attention that I need to call a person who is on leave.”

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Others warned of career consequences

Some users took a different view, arguing that abruptly leaving a job may appear beneficial in the short term but could affect an employee’s reputation with future employers.

“Till the time one gets opportunities, this sounds great. But every time it will not work. Next organisation will not appreciate such kind of things. Enjoy it till it happens.”

Another group focused on employment contracts and leave policies, arguing that accumulated leave can sometimes be used in accordance with company rules.

One commenter said that if an employee has enough leave to cover the notice period, or is prepared to pay any shortfall, the arrangement should not necessarily be viewed as surprising.

“If the employee's leave balance is sufficient to offset the notice duration, or is willing to pay the shortfall, this should not come as a surprise. When an organization conducts a layoff, employees are compensated and it is all settled. The same logic applies in reverse.”

Another commenter criticised the employees, writing, “Can't expect professionalism from entitled candidate. Most of the creamy hire that comes from popular educational university or from influential circle would look for entitlement than what they want to contribute.”

The discussion has consequently highlighted differing views on professional conduct, leave boundaries, notice periods and how workplace expectations are evolving across generations.