A software engineer in Hyderabad has alleged that he was asked to continue working during his paternity leave while his newborn child was admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, triggering widespread debate online around workplace empathy and labour practices.
The claim emerged in a post on Reddit’s r/developersIndia forum, where the employee stated that he had recently become a first-time father after his baby was born prematurely and developed respiratory distress, requiring immediate NICU care.
According to the post, the employee had informed both the human resources team and his manager as early as December that he would be taking paternity leave in April. The company, described as a global capability centre for a major insurance firm based in Hyderabad, offers two weeks of paternity leave. Despite this, the employee stated that his manager continued to assign work and expected him to remain available during the leave period.
He also referred to a previous incident in which he was asked to work until 3 am during a critical release cycle while his pregnant wife was hospitalised, stating that there was no direct dependency on his role at the time. The situation escalated further when the manager allegedly stated that he could be replaced, which the employee described as threatening and demoralising.
My manager asked me to work during paternity leave despite having informed about it 5 months before.
by
u/Maximum_Smile3264 in
developersIndia
The post drew significant responses from professionals, recruiters and managers on the platform, many of whom described the situation as a potential violation of company policy and labour norms. Several users advised the employee to formally escalate the matter to human resources and ensure that all communication was documented through official channels such as email or internal messaging systems.
Others urged a more cautious approach, recommending that the employee gather evidence while simultaneously exploring alternative job opportunities. Some commenters also dismissed the replacement remark as a common pressure tactic used in management, noting that hiring and onboarding new employees involves substantial costs.
Several responses emphasised the importance of asserting workplace rights, with users advising the employee to stand firm, escalate the issue if necessary and avoid compromising on leave entitlements.
The incident has reignited discussions around employee well-being, particularly in high-pressure technology roles, and the need for organisations to balance operational demands with compassionate workplace practices.
(Disclaimer: This is a report based on user generated content on social media. Storyboard18 has not verified these claims and does not endorse them)
First Published on April 3, 2026, 20:37:33 IST
