'I'm fully compliant': Employee fears PIP after requesting hybrid work over father's health issue

An employee turned to Reddit after claiming a hybrid work request for a genuine family medical emergency was escalated by their manager.

Balancing work commitments with family responsibilities can be difficult, especially when an employee is dealing with a medical emergency at home. While many companies offer hybrid work arrangements, requests for flexibility do not always go as expected.

Employee seeks advice after hybrid work request. (Representative Image)

A Reddit user recently shared how a request to move from a five-day office setup to the company's regular hybrid work model allegedly led to an uncomfortable situation with their manager. The employee feared they could now be placed on PIP despite having no performance or compliance issues.

The post was shared on Reddit, where the employee explained the circumstances in detail.

"I've fully complied with my project. I don't have any performance issues, I deliver my work on time, and I've never had any disciplinary concerns," the user wrote.

They explained that they had requested to return to the company's hybrid work model from their current five days a week ODC setup because of a genuine family health issue involving their father. The employee clarified that they were not seeking permanent work from home or asking to leave the project.

"I was only asking to follow the normal hybrid model," they wrote.

The employee also said they had completed knowledge transfer for two younger professionals who were now handling most of the work. According to the post, they assured their manager that they would continue to remain available whenever required.

However, instead of approving or rejecting the request, the manager allegedly escalated the matter to the business unit, saying, "This resource always comes up with reasons to get out of ODC."

The employee further claimed that the manager was unhappy because the request email had been sent without informing them beforehand. They later received an email from the BU Head and believed they might be placed on BOTP after an upcoming discussion.

"I'm struggling to understand how asking for a genuine accommodation because of a family medical issue can be treated this way," the employee wrote. They also asked whether they could resign during BOTP, refuse it altogether, or what options might be available.

Read the full story here.

Internet shares mixed opinions

The post prompted varied responses, with some users questioning the knowledge transfer while others advised the employee to remain calm.

One person commented, "I'm not sure why the knowledge transfer was needed when you wanted to work from home. I don't recommend it, but if you need to work from home, you need to spend a lot more time working so that no one complains. Your work should be done by you, not by the younger professionals."

Another advised, "Don't resign or reject BOTP without understanding the reason first. Stay calm during the meeting, ask for clear justification and expectations, and keep everything documented. Focus on your performance record and the fact that your request was for a change in work arrangement, not an attempt to avoid work."

A third wrote, "Document everything through emails. Send as many as possible."

Another user suggested, "Your work is your responsibility, as someone else pointed out. Start looking for a new role."

A fifth remarked, "You passed knowledge transfer to two younger professionals and then asked for hybrid work? Those professionals would be happy to take your place."

(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.)