Tech Employee Claims Manager Requested Work During Paternity Leave Amid NICU Ordeal

Workplace Empathy and Labour Rights Under Scrutiny in Hyderabad

A software engineer in Hyderabad has alleged that his manager continued to assign him work and pressure him during his paternity leave, even as his newborn child was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The claim has prompted widespread criticism online over workplace empathy and labour rights.

The incident came to light in a post on Reddit's r/developersIndia forum, where the engineer said he became a first-time father earlier this week after his baby was born prematurely and developed respiratory distress, requiring immediate NICU care. Despite informing his manager about the situation, the engineer claimed that he was still called and asked about work, with tasks assigned to him despite taking leave.

According to the post, the employee had informed both human resources and his manager as early as December that he would be availing paternity leave in April. The company, described as a major insurance firm's global capability centre in Hyderabad, offers two weeks of paternity leave. However, the engineer alleged that the manager persisted, citing prior instances of similar behaviour.

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The situation escalated further, with the manager allegedly telling the engineer that "anyone can replace you," a remark the engineer described as threatening and demoralising. The incident has sparked a flood of responses from fellow professionals, recruiters, and managers, many of whom called the manager's actions a clear violation of company policy.

Several users pointed out that such behaviour reflects deeper organisational issues. "Companies that behave like this rarely change," a recruiter commented. "Even in a tight market with AI shaking things up, it's not worth staying where basic respect is missing."

Multiple users countered the replacement threat, calling it a common managerial pressure tactic. "Hiring and onboarding costs lakhs. Don't fall for it," one comment read. Others stressed the importance of taking a firm stand. "Inform HR, escalate if needed, and don't settle. If you stay firm, the manager will back off," another advised.

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