‘I sometimes cry at work’: Pregnant banker says 'toxic' manager harasses her, denies leaves

The pregnant banker claimed she had been regular at work since the start of her pregnancy, even attending during bouts of high fever because she was the only staff member in the branch. (AI-generated image)

A public sector bank employee has alleged mental harassment by her manager while she is undergoing a difficult pregnancy at 28 weeks. In a viral Reddit post, the unidentified woman has claimed that the hostile work environment has left her “emotionally and physically overwhelmed.” The post has since drawn widespread attention and criticism of workplace practices in Indian banks.

In the post, the woman described how her manager repeatedly denied her sick leave requests despite pregnancy-related complications, including viral infections, nausea, and intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP), a liver condition causing severe itching and insomnia. “I sometimes cry at work because of this inhuman behaviour,” she wrote, adding that she has been forced to work late hours and often skips lunch breaks.

The employee claimed she had been regular at work since the start of her pregnancy, even attending during bouts of high fever because she was the only staff member in the branch. “I have hardly taken sick leave twice or thrice in the month when I absolutely have to,” she said.

Whistleblowing may have triggered retaliation, says employee

The woman alleged that the harassment intensified after she discreetly reported her manager’s “shady” loan sanctioning practices to higher authorities, which led to an inquiry against him. “He had got a whiff of my whistleblowing, I feel, and he has been harassing me mentally and using many tactics,” she wrote.

She also shared screenshots of conversations where most of her leave requests were disregarded. In one instance, she said the manager called her at 10.30 pm because of an end-of-day confusion, even making the office boy call her after 10 pm when she was unwell.

Screenshots of the bank employee's conversation with her manager. (Image credit: Reddit)

Banker insists on choice over maternity leave

Despite suggestions from Reddit users to go on leave, the woman said she wants the decision to be hers. “Everyone wants me to just not be confrontational and go on leave. Why should I go on leave before I decide I want to go on maternity?” she wrote, adding that she still has two months before her due date and planned to use earned leave closer to delivery.

Reddit reactions highlight systemic issues in banking

The post sparked a wave of responses, with users calling the situation “mental harassment” and urging her to report it to authorities. “If you ever feel IT industry in India is toxic, one should work in banks. This is the prime example,” one user commented. Another wrote, “Banks are extremely toxic unless you are working in corporate offices. Branch banking is hell.”

Several users advised the woman to prioritize her health and consider taking maternity or medical leave. “Nothing is better than mental health. Utilize your time in your maternity to find another job,” one comment read. Others shared similar experiences, warning that branch-level banking often lacks empathy for personal circumstances.

The story is based on an account shared on Reddit. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the claims.