Jobseeker Exposes 'Flexible Leave Policy' That Bans Sick Leave: "Brazen Exploitation"

A LinkedIn post by jobseeker Upasana Sarbajna has gone viral after she shared details of a recruitment call in which an HR representative described a "flexible leave policy" that, according to her, offered no sick leave or personal leave at all. The post has reignited conversations around employee rights, workplace culture, and hiring practices in India, with many professionals calling the policy a warning sign for prospective employees.

According to Sarbajna, the interview initially proceeded smoothly. The discussion reportedly focused on the company's business, long-term vision, client portfolio, and the responsibilities associated with the role. However, the tone of the conversation changed when the recruiter began outlining the organisation's attendance and leave policies.

She claimed the HR representative explained that employees were not permitted to take sick leave or personal leave and that any absence from work would result in salary deductions. The policy allegedly included escalating penalties for repeated absences, raising concerns about how employees would be expected to manage illness or personal emergencies.

"They said to me, “Upasana, we have a flexible leave policy. You will get holidays on festivals and stuff, however, our leave policy does not entertain employees taking sick or personal leaves whatsoever.” I was too stunned to dignify that sentence with a reply. So they continued, “In any case if the employee does take a leave for personal reason, it will be considered a loss of pay. So, if you are hypothetically getting paid Rs.10,000 a month, one leave might cost you Rs.1000," the post read. 

"I told them I needed some time to think it through and I disconnected the call. And I feel like I still am in shock that how companies such as this take advantage of the lack of a stern labour law to exploit employees to this extent. How is this even allowed?" she added. 

See the post here:

The post quickly spread across LinkedIn and social media, sparking a backlash from professionals who said companies often tout themselves as flexible and employee-friendly but impose strict rules at work.

Users said that discouraging sick leave can lead to unhealthy work environments, where people feel pressured to work while sick, and that may impact workplace productivity and health. Others said such policies can hurt an employer's reputation and make it difficult to attract skilled candidates.

One user wrote, "This is shocking more than surprising. Holiday are not a favor or a reward, as for basic sick and casual leave are a mandatory thing. 1000 deduction for a day, how are they even calculating this?"

Another said, "It smacks of brazen exploitation. How can a company act in defiance of labour laws? And what about that HR? Does it apply to him also?" A third added, "So the Holis and Diwalis are off, and so are Saturday-Sunday, but if you have to take a day off on account of sickness, it's a deduction of 3 days' salary?"