A sick-leave message is supposed to be simple. You’re unwell, you inform your manager, and you rest. But for countless Indian employees, even this basic act comes with anxiety, guilt, and unexpected interrogation. A recent Reddit post highlighted exactly that — a woman texted her manager that she had a fever, only to receive a response so cold and transactional that the internet exploded with debates about empathy, work culture, and the lack of basic humanity in corporate communication. What followed was a conversation far bigger than a single sick-day request.
The Manager Responds Coldly To A Woman’s Text Requesting Sick Leave
Informed manager about my SL, this was his response
byu/Eastern_Mountain8198 inIndianWorkplace
Recently, a woman on Reddit talked about a problem that many workers face in silence — the dread of being criticized even when they are truly ill. What she believed would be a typical sick-leave message evolved into a moment that made thousands of people stop and ask: Have our workplaces forgotten fundamental humanity?
The woman messaged her manager that she had a burning fever when she woke up. Like any good employee, she quickly texted her manager to let him know she wouldn’t be able to work that day.
She also added that since it was the end of the year and she had taken a few sick breaks previously, her manager probably felt she had exhausted her balance. “Even if I didn’t have any balance I wouldn’t have taken the leave irresponsibly,” she clarified.
What amazed her even more was that this wasn’t happening in some unorganized setup. “And mind you this is not a ‘LALA company’,” she wrote. “It’s a reputable MNC!” She expressed disappointment that even well-known businesses can overlook the fundamentals of empathy.
The Brief Discussion That Made A Big Impact
She provided a screenshot of the interaction — a conversation that lasted just two lines but spoke volumes:
Worker: “Hello, I’m not feeling good. I will be on sick leave.”
Manager: “You still have balance?”
No “Get well soon.” No “Take care.” Not even a simple acknowledgment that she was sick — just a direct question regarding leave balance, something that hurt her more than she expected.
Internet Lit Up After Seeing The Post
Many people believed the manager’s message was unnecessarily cold. One person commented that the tone was “terrible” and totally lacked empathy, even if the manager was only verifying the balance.
Another commenter pointed out that in circumstances like this, employees often feel forced to justify themselves even when they’re legitimately unwell. “It’s critical to be able to stand up for yourself in such situations,” they stated.
Several commenters shared how common it has become for managers to treat sick leave as a privilege instead of a basic right. One user reminded everyone: “SL getting over doesn’t mean we can’t take sick leave.”
Many agreed that the first instinct of a manager should be concern for the employee’s health, not performing an audit of their leave balance — especially when the employee is messaging from bed with a fever.
Conclusion
This incident may seem small, but it reflects a much deeper problem in today’s work culture. When sick leave becomes an interrogation, when empathy is replaced with suspicion, and when employees feel guilty for simply falling ill, something is clearly broken. As the Reddit thread proved, workers aren’t demanding luxury or special treatment. They just want humanity. Sometimes, a simple “Get well soon” says more about a company’s culture than any policy ever can.
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