Bangalore employee claims manager placed her on performance plan after requesting Dussehra leave

An employee working at a retail company in Bangalore has raised concerns about her manager's response to a leave request for Dussehra, one of India's major festivals. According to the employee's account, she sought two days off to spend time with family during the holiday, but her request was denied and she was subsequently placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).

The employee claims the managerial action was retaliatory and has left her in a difficult position—caught between the need to celebrate the festival with her family and concerns about her job security. She alleged that the manager's response to the straightforward leave request was disproportionate and raised questions about workplace flexibility during significant cultural occasions.

The incident has sparked discussion about employee rights and management practices in India's corporate sector. The employee shared her grievance on social media platform Reddit, where similar workplace issues have increasingly become subjects of public debate. Her situation reflects broader concerns among Indian workers about leave policies and managerial discretion during festival seasons.

Performance Improvement Plans are typically used to document and address performance deficiencies, but their use in connection with leave requests has drawn criticism from workplace observers. The case underscores tensions between corporate efficiency demands and employee expectations regarding time off during culturally significant periods in India.