Leaving exactly at 7… not good’: Gurugram startup fires employee in 20 days over ‘sutta breaks,’ ‘leaving office on time

A recent incident at a Gurugram-based startup has sparked discussions about workplace culture and employee rights. An employee, after just 20 days on the job, was terminated for taking tea and smoke breaks and for leaving the office at the scheduled end of the workday. The individual shared their experience on Reddit, stating that the employer accused them of having an “attitude problem” and not being “down to earth” shortly after they joined. The situation escalated when the employer objected to the employee forming groups with colleagues during breaks and criticized them for leaving work exactly at 7 PM, despite the employee having completed their tasks. The final straw came when the employee was asked to work from the director’s cabin instead of their own desk. Feeling uncomfortable with this arrangement, the employee was subsequently terminated. This account has ignited conversations about toxic work environments and the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.