Getting sick should not feel like a workplace violation. Yet, for many employees today, even taking a sick leave or day off for health reasons has become a source of anxiety. A recent claim by a private sector employee has sparked outrage online, raising serious questions about how far companies can go when rewriting leave policies — and whether basic human needs are being ignored in the process.
Imagine waking up with a high fever, body pain, and a fuzzy head. However, your job is the main source of stress, not your health. When you try to apply for a sick day through your company’s leave portal, you discover that sick leave is no longer available. The new regulation is straightforward and unsettling: leave will only be granted if you are admitted to the hospital.
This is precisely what one employee says their employer has imposed, causing indignation and fear on social media and in the workplace. A more deeply unsettling concern has been raised by the policy: are workers supposed to work through illness until it becomes life-threatening? More significantly, is it really permissible for a business to completely eliminate sick leave?
Sick Leave Only If Hospitalized? Employee’s Claim Triggers Workplace Debate
They removed sick leave and casual leave and called it a policy update
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A private sector employee’s claim that their employer eliminated both sick leave and casual leave in favor of a strictly regulated policy that only acknowledges hospitalization as a legitimate medical absence has caused a great deal of criticism on social media.
The employee posted what they claimed to be an official HR memo detailing significant changes to the company’s leave policy on Reddit, where the allegation first appeared.
Only 12 Days Of Leave Per Year; Hospital Documentation Is Required
The article claims that the corporation now only provides 12 days of paid annual leave credited at a rate of one day per month. The employee’s request for time off due to illness will only be granted if they are admitted to the hospital and can provide proper medical records.
According to reports, the revised policy combines sick, casual, and privilege leaves into a single yearly pool of 15–20 days. If employees go over the allotted amount, there will be warnings or income reductions.
Complete Removal Of Casual And Sick Leave
There will now only be two kinds of leave, according to the HR memo that was purportedly sent via Slack:
- Annual Paid Leave: for general time off, vacations, or personal requirements
- Hospitalization Leave: only given in cases of medical crises that call for hospitalization
The employee argues that regular diseases like fever, the flu, or migraines are no longer eligible for leave unless they require hospitalization.
People Get Sick, But Not Everything Requires A Hospital Visit
The notice, according to the Reddit user, was casually posted in a public channel as if it were a standard update.
The employee wrote, “I read it twice because I thought I misunderstood.” “Casual leave has ended. Sick leave has ended. Currently, you are only eligible for one day of leave per month if you are physically hospitalized.”
The user said that the policy felt detached from reality and called the adjustment “exhausting.” “People become ill. Things do happen. Not everything requires a trip to the hospital. It seems incredibly tone-deaf to refer to this as a ‘policy update’ rather than what it is.”
Legal Concerns And Online Backlash Follow
Reddit users expressed shock, rage, and worry in response to the message, which soon gained popularity. While some wanted the employee to publicly identify the employer, others questioned the legality of such a policy.
While some users expressed concern about how workers would handle common diseases under the new system, others cautioned that making sick people work could negatively impact workplace health and productivity.
One person wrote, “This is terrible,” pointing out that although their firm does not offer sick leave, workers are still able to take unpaid time off if necessary.
“Every sick person should visit HR while sick,” someone else wrote. “Show them how the policy is being implemented.”
The displeasure was summed up well by a third user: “Even workaholics get sick.” Employees who are sick are just made sicker and less productive when they are forced to work. This is totally irrational.
An Ongoing Discussion On Workplace Ethics
The event has reignited a larger discussion about employee rights, humane workplace practices, and whether businesses are putting cost-cutting ahead of fundamental well-being as internet debates continue. For many, the question remains straightforward but unsettling: should becoming sick at work truly necessitate hospitalization?
This alleged policy change has struck a nerve because it touches on something fundamental — the right to recover without fear. While companies may argue operational discipline, critics believe such rules cross a line between efficiency and empathy. As conversations around workplace ethics grow louder, cases like this force a hard look at how modern offices treat the most basic human realities.
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