An employee's dedication to office maintenance has been met with an unexpected penalty, sparking debate about fairness and workplace policy. After years of consistently being the last to leave and shutting down the office, an individual was fined Rs 500 from their salary for a single instance of forgetting to turn off the air conditioning.
The incident came to light through a recent social media post on Reddit. The employee, who wished to remain anonymous, shared their frustration after a company-wide message was sent out by their boss. The message announced an immediate salary deduction for the person responsible for leaving the AC and lights on overnight, with no prior discussion or warning.
Boss fined me for leaving AC on ONE night, after years of me turning it off
byu/Visible-Bar5313 inIndianWorkplace
The employee, feeling it was best to be honest, admitted to the oversight. However, they expressed feelings of humiliation and anxiety over the public message, which they felt unjustly portrayed them as careless despite their long-standing habit of taking on the extra responsibility.
The employee noted that there is no official company policy requiring them to be responsible for shutting down the office. They had simply taken it upon themselves to do so, as they were frequently the last person to leave.
The incident has opened a conversation about the appropriateness of such punitive actions, especially when an employee has a history of proactive and responsible behaviour. It raises questions about whether a single mistake warrants a financial penalty and if a lack of formal policy can justify an arbitrary fine.
