Diwali bonus 'discretion' for house helps: Bengaluru apartment WhatsApp chat sparks outrage

A woman in a Bengaluru apartment group urged others to not give half month salary as a Diwali bonus to house helps. (Representational Image).

The biggest festival in the Indian calendar-Diwali-is around the corner and the festivities accompany bonuses for employees working in different jobs, across various industries.

However, the bonus amount given to professionals may vary and sometimes a sense of pettiness can creep in while being generous to others.

A recent example of how not to treat a working professional was seen on X (formerly Twitter), when a man posted a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation from his wife's apartment group in Bengaluru, where other women were urged to be careful while offering Diwali bonuses to house helps and were adviced to give the extra amount based on how helpful they were before the festivities began.

"Ladies please be cautious while giving Diwali bonuses to maids. Use your discretion according to their salary but not half month salary. If they helped you clean the entire house, its fine otherwise this is not acceptable," the message read.

Wife received this in the Apartment community group. How effing petty people are. We live in a community where the apartments go for 2 plus crores. And these people do not want to give a small amount for Diwali to the maids.#headmeetsdeskpic.twitter.com/rU3qjsIzXL

— Nachi (@nacdownunder) November 7, 2023

The post saw many retweets and comments from users, many of whom slammed the woman's mentality.

"I've probably never felt this maliciously ill for someone I don't know - but honestly whoever originated this message - would be great if they get laid off at work. Like the world would clearly be a better place if that happened," one user wrote.

"Don't encourage this!" Indian Middle Class aka us, saving money at all the wrong places. The attitude towards house help makes me so angry," another user wrote.