New mother turns down ₹30 LPA bank job in Bengaluru after 'ultimatum': 'I don’t regret it'
Komal alleged that even though the organisation liked her profile, the compensation was revised downward after learning she was a returning mother.
A new mother has sparked a discussion online about workplace negotiations and motherhood after she revealed why she turned down a ₹30 lakh per annum job offer from a Bengaluru-based bank. Taking to Instagram, user Komal Khemani said her decision was not about money but about “pricing vulnerability” of women returning to work after childbirth. She shared that the incident took place in 2020.
In her post, Komal explained that she had quit her previous job during the fifth month of pregnancy as she was based in Mumbai while her husband was in Bengaluru. Around the same time, a bank in Bengaluru began interviewing her for a role that matched both her profile and preferred location. However, the interview process spanned nearly 8 months.
Komal said that she chose not to disclose her pregnancy initially as there is no formal rule requiring such disclosure during hiring. She shared that an interview was eventually scheduled just 14 days after her C-section. It was at this point that she informed the company that she had recently become a mother - something she said “did not sit right with them”.
But despite this, Komal said that the process continued. “They went ahead with another round, asking why I wanted to return so soon. My daughter was 3 months then,” she said in the clip.
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Why did she reject ₹30 LPA offer?
Komal alleged that though the organisation liked her profile, the compensation was revised downward after learning she was a returning mother. She was told to either accept a ₹30 lakh offer or risk the offer being withdrawn.
“That's when I realised this is not negotiation, it's pricing vulnerability. And so I walked away,” she said, adding that rejecting the offer turned out to be one of the “best decisions” of her life. “This offer came after 8 months of interviews, personal questions, 14 days post C-section, and an ultimatum. I walked away — and I don’t regret it,” she wrote in the caption of the post.
HT.com has reached out to Komal Khemani. The article will be updated once a response is received.
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Social media reactions
The video resonated with many working women, who said that they had faced similar situations.
“Great decision....plight of those who return to work after maternity leave is another chronicle....org think that she returned from a 6 month long vacation....we were working while she was enjoying....some even have the audacity to ask how can you say that u want to go home early...abhi to itne lambe vacation se ayi ho,” one user commented.
“This isn’t about one company, it’s about a system many returning mothers face,” commented another.
“I have observed this. Corporate is biased towards women in terms of pay, in terms of recognition, and in terms of expectations,” wrote a third user.
“This is not limited to returning mothers. It applies to any situation where a company perceives vulnerability—whether someone is unemployed due to layoffs or dealing with personal challenges. Offers are often significantly lowballed because companies assume the person is desperate and more likely to accept. This is corporate exploitation 101,” said another.
“Can't agree more. I was in ur situation a few months ago and it is so true how vulnerable job market is for woman with young children. You literally get arm twisted to accept things below your par. I have learnt to accept it now,” wrote one user.
