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Employee says sick leave request turned into a debate after manager called it “not an emergency” and still asked them to work during illness
The chat has sparked talk on how companies treat rest and recovery. (representational image)
Taking a sick leave is supposed to help employees recover, not leave them worrying about work. But one employee was surprised when a manager responded to a sick leave request by saying it wasn’t an “emergency” and then asked if they could still work for a few hours.
The exchange was shared on Reddit, where many users said they had faced similar situations at work.
Manager Asks Employee To Work Anyway
The Reddit user said they applied for sick leave because they were not feeling well enough to work. Sharing screenshots of the exchange, the employee wrote, “I applied for sick leave because I wasn’t feeling up to working. My manager replied, ‘During the critical phase, any unplanned leave is not entertained unless it is an emergency.’ Okay… so being sick apparently isn’t enough?”
A few minutes later, the manager sent another message asking, “If possible, try to manage working for some hours as it’s critical.” The employee said the response left them confused.
“That genuinely confused me. If I’m sick enough to request sick leave, why ask me to work ‘some hours’? It feels like sick leave has become ‘work less today’ instead of ‘take the day off and recover’,” the user wrote.
While acknowledging that every workplace has deadlines and important projects, the employee wondered whether there is ever a “right” time to take sick leave.
“I understand deadlines and critical releases happen. But if every sprint, release or deliverable is a ‘critical phase’, then when is it actually okay for employees to use the leave they’re entitled to? Has anyone else experienced this culture where taking sick leave comes with an expectation to still be available? How do you handle it without looking ‘uncommitted’?” the post read.
Users Share Similar Experiences
The post started a discussion, with many Reddit users saying employees should not feel guilty about taking time off when they are unwell.
“If you are sick or feeling unwell, it is always better to take sick leave. Stay at home, recover and then return when you feel better. Otherwise, your condition could worsen, leading to an even longer period of sick leave. The manager should realise that the latter scenario is far worse. Health comes first, ahead of any job or its benefits,” a user wrote.
Another commented, “Start preparing to move to a new company.” A person joked, “Ek din main bhi manager ban jaunga aur rob jhadunga.”
Some users also questioned why employees ask for permission to take sick leave. “I don’t understand why people ask for sick leave. I simply drop a message in the team chat saying, ‘Not keeping well, taking the day off today.’ End of story,” a person wrote.
Another added, “Don’t ask for sick leave. Just take it. Asking whether you can take sick leave gives them the option to deny it. Announce it and go completely offline.”
One user summed up the issue by saying, “Nowadays, sick leave mostly means working from home instead of taking proper rest. People working like slaves have made it this way for everyone else too.”
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