“One sick leave might cost you ₹1,000”: Job seeker’s HR conversation goes viral, sparking debate on leave policies

A LinkedIn post by Upasana Sarbajna describing an unusual conversation with a recruiter has triggered widespread discussion online. According to Sarbajna, she received an unexpected call from a company she chose not to name. While she acknowledged that HR outreach is common in today’s job market, she said this particular interaction stood out due to its unusual policy discussion.

Initial Conversation About Company Profile

Sarbajna noted that the first part of the call lasted around 10 minutes and focused on the company’s vision and client base. However, she said the tone changed when the discussion moved to employee benefits.

Controversial Leave Policy Claim

Describing what she was told, she wrote: “The other day I received a very surprising call from a company. I shall not take their name, but it was surprising enough for me to pen my thoughts about it,”.

She further added: “At the end, they finally brought up their leave policy and that is when things went south,” she wrote. “They said to me, ‘We have a flexible leave policy. You will get holidays on festivals and stuff, however, our leave policy does not entertain employees taking sick or personal leaves whatsoever,’”.

Alleged Loss of Pay on Sick or Personal Leave

Sarbajna also claimed that any sick or personal leave would be marked as loss of pay. She explained the impact with an example, stating: “If the employee does take a leave for personal reason, it will be considered a loss of pay. So, if you are hypothetically getting paid ₹10,000 a month, one leave might cost you ₹1,000,”.

Reaction and Conversation End

She said she chose to end the call after hearing the policy and took time to process the conversation.

“I told them I needed some time to think it through and I disconnected the call. And I still feel in shock at how companies take advantage of the lack of a stern labour law to exploit employees to this extent. How is this even allowed?” she wrote.

Online Reactions

The post quickly drew reactions from users online, with some criticizing the alleged policy. One user commented, “The leave policy is truly sick!” Another added, “Sick leave is mandatory in all states in India.”

Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on LinkedIn. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.