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‘Headache main chutti thodi na milti hai’: Indian manager refuses leave to ‘hero’ employee

An employee's post about his manager not approving his leave has sparked a discussion on Reddit about toxic managers in the Indian workplace.

Updated on: Oct 05, 2025 03:27 PM IST
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An employee shared a screenshot claiming it shows his conversation with his Indian boss, who refused to approve a leave request and belittled him by saying no one gets an off for “just headaches."

A Redditor shared a screenshot claiming it shows his conversation with his Indian manager. (Representational image). (Unsplash)
A Redditor shared a screenshot claiming it shows his conversation with his Indian manager. (Representational image). (Unsplash)

“My manager when I ask for a leave,” a Reddit user posted, adding, “How does one even work with a headache??”

Also Read: Man with 6 years’ experience joins startup as manager, shocked as junior ‘guides’ him rudely

As per the WhatsApp screenshot, the boss insists that the employee come to the office despite him saying he has a headache. At one point, the boss, who keeps on addressing the employee as “hero,” says, “Headache main chutti thodi na milti hai (You don’t get leave for having a headache).” The manager then adds that it's professional life, and the employee is not in school.

Take a look at the post:

How did social media react?

A third commented, “In my previous company, I made this habit of not taking leave and my manager is so happy I’m not taking leaves and working like a donkey and one bad day it was viral fever and it was too much even to sit, I messaged in teams saying I can’t work today due to viral fever and he was like please can you work for half day and I was like wt* man, while others in my team literally take sick leave twice or thrice a month. And in the next 4 months, I left that s**t job and now in a new company, I don’t work like a mad man all month without taking leaves, even when I’m fine, I take sick leave once a month.”

A fourth wrote, “I never ‘ask’ for leaves. I take leave and inform. I adjust on other days to compensate. Inko sar pe mat chadhao ye naachne lagte hai.”

(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.)

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta

Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.

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