Employee asks for leave due to severe headache, boss asks for live location: 'It's not okay'

Screenshot of a WhatsApp message shared by the employee on Reddit.

• An employee on Reddit said his boss asked for his live location after he requested sick leave for a severe headache, sparking criticism over privacy violations and toxic work culture.

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A social media post about an employee being asked to share his live location after applying for sick leave has triggered strong criticism online, with users calling the request invasive and symptomatic of a deeper workplace culture problem. The post appeared on Reddit recently, where the employee claimed his supervisor demanded real‑time location access after he reported suffering from an acute headache.

The employee shared a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation with his boss and said that he had taken leave the previous day due to a severe headache. "Today, I asked my boss to grant me leave again as I was still suffering from headache, and he asked me to talk to HR, who asked me to submit valid documents. I shared this with my boss. He asked to share my live location," the employee wrote and wondered what the consequences would be.

Reddit users criticise ‘creeping surveillance’

Reddit users reacted strongly, criticising the boss’s behaviour as intrusive and unprofessional. Many argued that sharing live location could set a dangerous precedent, allowing supervisors to monitor employees outside work hours.

One user commented that such requests reflect a “toxic culture of micro‑management,” while another questioned what “valid documents” could even prove a headache, calling the demand unreasonable. Several users urged the employee to deny the request outright, citing privacy concerns. Another wrote, “You are on leave, not on parole,” calling the location demand “creepy.”

Similar incident happened in  October

The discussion also revived a similar case posted on the same subreddit in October, when an employee alleged that his bank manager had berated him for requesting medical leave despite sharing a doctor’s prescription for severe fissures or haemorrhoids. In that incident, the manager reportedly called the employee “undisciplined,” threatened salary deductions, and accused him of trying to “run away” from his duties.

Social media users highlighted the pattern as evidence of worsening workplace dynamics, where employees seeking legitimate medical leave face suspicion, humiliation, or pressure to justify their illness with excessive documentation.