Internet shocked as man says boss wanted him to work while wife was in labour

A man shared screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation in which his manager asked him to postpone their leave or work from the hospital while his wife was preparing to give birth to their first child.

He posted the screenshot on Reddit’s ‘IndianWorkplace’ community and wrote: “My company ignored my request for leave during my wife’s pregnancy.”

“I’m sharing from a temporary account,” he wrote, adding that he turned to Reddit because he didn’t know what else to do.

“My wife was hospitalized for the birth of our first child. I notified my manager and asked for only two days off. Instead of the usual understanding, I was asked to postpone my leave, asked if she could run errands for my family, and was even asked to work from the hospital.”

He said he felt helpless during this conversation. He continued: “I was stuck trying to justify why I couldn’t sit in the hospital room with my laptop when I should have been focusing on my wife and newborn.”

The man also stated that he could not quit his job due to increased responsibilities.

She wrote: “I already have a child and the responsibilities are increasing. And given the situation in my company, I’m really afraid that I will be fired if I protest too much.”

He questioned why managers thought employees shouldn’t have a private life “even during an important event like birth.”

He concluded his post by asking if others had experienced the same thing.

The screenshot he shared shows the manager’s reaction when he informed him of his wife’s confession.

The man said, “Hello sir, hello, my wife was taken to the hospital for birth. I will be off today and tomorrow.”

The principal replied: “Wow! That’s great. But we have important business to take care of next week. Are your parents with you?” When the man confirmed that they were with him, the manager said, “You can take leave in a week or learn how to work from the hospital. They should be able to manage. You don’t need to do anything anyway.”

The man replied: “Yes, [name] “I’ll handle it while I’m gone, and I’ll handle the rest when I get back.”

The manager replied: “They already have a lot of work.”

The man then said, “Sir, I need to be with my wife and manage the hospital. Since it will not be possible for me to work at the hospital, I would like to apply for leave.”

“Okay, send me an email with XXX and HR,” the manager replied.

Reddit users expressed their outrage, urging the man to prioritize his family.

“Work will always be there. If you have vacation left, ignore your manager and be there for your wife and newborn,” one user said.

Another user said, “Always use your first names. Be with your wife during the birth, otherwise I will find you and slap you. Don’t share everything with your boss too much, keep it secret. So why do you send important things like your holiday news on WhatsApp? You are going to be a father, act accordingly.” He advised his manager to stop calling him “Sir”.

Another user congratulated him, writing, “Not all managers are like this. This is truly insane. Write a short email, use ChatGPT, and CC it to the intended person. From now on, ignore all communication on all channels. Don’t ask for permission, just say it.”

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