New Delhi: Asking for leave on Raksha Bandhan cost this Punjab-based HR manager her job. According to WhatsApp messages, the boss introduced a new rule stating that employees wishing to take leave for the festival on August 19 would have seven days’ worth of salary deducted instead of just one. The HR manager opposed the unfair policy, but her stand backfired, leading to her termination. In a LinkedIn post, she explained that her office access was immediately revoked while she was given a two-week notice. Following her public disclosure, the company denied her claims, stating that she had received multiple warnings even before this incident, NDTV reported.
In her LinkedIn post, she wrote: “Tried to take a stand for what was wrong as per the laws. But got a termination letter as a result. He mentioned in the email that he would give me two weeks’ time, but he revoked all access so I could leave immediately. This is my chat with my boss, Kunal Kakkar, who terminated me because I took a stand and suggested that we cannot deduct seven days of salary for one day of absence.”
In the screenshots shared, the boss announced: “After considering our team unity, I have made the following decision: On August 19th, Raksha Bandhan, there will be no half-day or short leave granted. Attendance is mandatory. If anyone does not come to work on August 19th, they will face a seven-day deduction. Attendance on this day is compulsory. If anyone disagrees with this decision, they are welcome to submit their resignation.”
The HR manager tried to explain that deducting seven days’ salary for a single day’s absence was not “fair practice under the law or fundamental rights.” However, her boss defended the policy, stating that if employees didn’t agree, they could resign, the report added.