"Take Uber": Manager Refuses Work From Home Request During Pune Rains, Internet is Angry

A Pune employee's account of being asked to report to work despite heavy rain and road closures has gone viral, reigniting debate over workplace flexibility during extreme weather. According to the employee, he requested to work from home after heavy rainfall disrupted traffic and flooded parts of the city, making his commute difficult. However, his manager allegedly rejected the request and instructed him to report to the office using public transport.

The incident came to light after the employee's friend shared screenshots of their WhatsApp conversation on the r/Pune subreddit, along with a caption asking whether the employee should resign.

In the chat, the employee informed his manager that he would be unable to come to the office because of heavy rain and road closures. The manager reportedly advised him to use public transport instead and declined the work-from-home request, saying others had also travelled to the office despite the weather.

Hi, take public transport. I cannot approve it. We have all travelled and come to work. People have travelled by local trains to get to work. Take a rickshaw or an Uber to it, but make it work," the manager replied. 

See the post here:

The screenshots quickly spread across social media, drawing criticism from many users who felt the response overlooked employee safety. Several argued that companies should prioritise staff welfare during severe weather, especially when authorities issue orange or red rain alerts.

One user wrote, "Why can't WFH be an option? What's some management's obsession with wanting to stare down on employees 8 hours a day. Like for real." Another commented, "How can people even work at companies where you have to address others as sir and maam as if it's a school or something?"

Others said organisations need clear policies for work-from-home or leave during extreme weather events rather than leaving such decisions to individual managers. A few social media users questioned whether the incident had been amplified for online engagement. 

Neither the company nor the manager has publicly responded to the viral post.