In a recent incident from Noida, a startup founder has come under criticism after allegedly refusing to approve an employee’s sick leave. The matter came into the public eye after the employee shared screenshots of an internal email conversation on social media platform Reddit.
The case has once again started a discussion about work culture in startups, especially about how employees are treated during health issues.
Employee Shares Email Conversation Online
“What a great company I work at
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u/Competitive-Cap-4869 in
IndianWorkplace
The issue was posted on the popular Reddit community related to Indian workplaces. The employee, who works in a SaaS-based startup as a technical support professional, explained the full situation in detail.
According to the post, the employee could not sleep properly due to a power cut in their area the previous night. Because of this, they were feeling unwell and tired the next morning. So, they decided to request sick leave from the HR team.
However, things did not go as expected.
Founder’s Response Leaves Internet Shocked
As per the screenshots shared, instead of approving the leave, the founder reportedly instructed the HR team to mark it as leave without pay. The message clearly mentioned:
“Mark this as leave without pay. Don’t approve same day leaves.”
This response quickly caught attention online. What made the situation worse was another remark where the founder allegedly told the employee, “You sound just fine,” despite the employee explaining their condition.
Many people felt this response showed a lack of empathy towards employee health.
Social Media Reacts Strongly
After the post went viral, many users shared their opinions in the comment section. The post received thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments within a short time.
A large number of users criticised the founder’s behaviour. They said that denying sick leave and cutting salary can create a very stressful and unhealthy work environment. Some users also pointed out that such practices are common in certain startups where performance is given more importance than employee well-being.
At the same time, a few users advised the employee to start looking for a better job with a healthier work culture.
Discussion Around Toxic Work Culture in Startups
This incident has once again highlighted the issue of toxic work culture, especially in fast-growing startup environments. Many employees often hesitate to take leave even when they are not well. The fear of salary cuts, negative judgment, or job insecurity plays a big role in such decisions.
In India, awareness about mental and physical health at the workplace is improving, but incidents like this show that there is still a long way to go.
Employees Share Similar Experiences
Interestingly, many people in the comment section shared their own experiences. Some said they also faced strict leave policies where even genuine reasons were not accepted easily.
Others mentioned that in some companies, taking a sick leave is seen as a lack of commitment, which puts unnecessary pressure on employees.
These shared experiences made the discussion even bigger and more relatable for many readers.
Should Employees Tolerate Such Situations?
This incident has also raised an important question — should employees continue in such work environments?
While every job has its own challenges, basic understanding and support during health issues is something most people expect. A healthy workplace should allow employees to take rest when needed without fear.
Many users suggested that if such situations happen regularly, it might be better to look for companies that value employee well-being.
Conclusion
The Noida startup incident has once again brought attention to the importance of a supportive work culture. While startups are known for their fast pace and high expectations, ignoring employee health can have serious long-term effects.
As discussions continue online, one thing is clear — employees today are more aware of their rights and are willing to speak up against unfair practices.