An Indian employee recovering from a surgery has alleged that their manager repeatedly pressured them to work despite an approved medical leave. The experience was shared in a now viral Reddit post titled ‘sharing my experience of my medical leave due to a surgery’, which included screenshots of the WhatsApp conversation between the two.
Employee says manager kept insisting on work despite 15 day leave
According to the user, they had applied for a 15 day medical leave well in advance, after their doctor advised complete bed rest. The individual wrote that this was the first time in several years they had requested such a long leave, adding that earlier breaks had never exceeded three days.
The employee stated: "I had already taken approval for a 15 day leave due to my surgery, since the recovery was extremely time sensitive and painful. This was the first time in several years of working here that I requested such a long leave. Most of my previous leaves were a maximum of 3 days at a stretch. I had been in significant pain for 3 to 4 months prior to the surgery, and when all medications failed, the doctor advised that surgery was the only option. I planned my dates carefully so the peak season would not be affected. I got approval for the leave. Worked late nights and weekends to complete all tasks that depended on me, and handed over the remaining work to my colleagues so things would run smoothly in my absence."
However, despite the preparations, the manager allegedly called on the very day of the surgery. The user wrote that they could not respond as they were under anaesthesia and their phone was not with them. Matters escalated soon after. "From the third day of my leave, he started asking me to work from bed, and by the seventh day, he asked when I could return to full time work. I even sent him my discharge papers, doctor’s prescription, and recovery instructions. Yet he still had the audacity to ask me to work from bed."
{{/usCountry}}However, despite the preparations, the manager allegedly called on the very day of the surgery. The user wrote that they could not respond as they were under anaesthesia and their phone was not with them. Matters escalated soon after. "From the third day of my leave, he started asking me to work from bed, and by the seventh day, he asked when I could return to full time work. I even sent him my discharge papers, doctor’s prescription, and recovery instructions. Yet he still had the audacity to ask me to work from bed."
{{/usCountry}}Check out the post here:
Social media users slam the manager’s behaviour
As the post spread across the internet, many expressed shock, urging the employee to prioritise their health and consider switching jobs. One user wrote, "No recovery is possible when managers treat employees like machines that never stop." Another commented that the situation reflected "how broken workplace culture has become." A third user wrote, "This makes me genuinely angry." Someone else added, "This is so frustrating."
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)