Unpaid intern denied leave to care for sick parents; Reddit slams ‘exploitative' work culture
According to the Reddit user who shared the incident, their friend was doing an unpaid internship but was being treated like a full-time employee, without any of the respect or compensation. 'He expects seriousness from his interns even though he doesn't treat them seriously,' the user wrote.
The screenshot shows the intern informing her boss that she won't be able to attend work due to a family emergency. 'Sir Im really sorry for the short notice, I won't be able to come in today. I have an emergency situation at home since my parents are really sick and on bedrest rn so I need to stay back,' she wrote to him. She even assured him she'd continue her tasks from home, saying, 'I'll send you the morphed runway videos by today.'
But the manager's reply left many stunned. 'When u are interning somewhere there is a responsibility too…3 days before a big event u gone missing…anyways ur choice…this shows seriousness towards ur work,' he responded, appearing to guilt-trip the intern rather than show concern.
The intern apologised again, clarifying that it was an unavoidable situation and promised to be back the next day: 'I know this week is important for the event. I'll be there tomorrow, right on time.'
Boss won't allow my friend to take emergency leaves as an unpaid intern
byu/ashueep inIndianWorkplace
The exchange hit a nerve with social media users, many of whom criticised the manager and broader corporate attitudes toward interns. One user wrote, 'If the place falls apart by an intern taking a day off, they really shouldn't be keeping interns!'
Another person said, 'Whether you are an intern or an employee, it doesn't matter. If you need leaves for family, take them without guilt and without being sorry… If your company lacks contingency measures in such emergency situations, it is their fault, not yours!'
Some went further, calling out the system that allows unpaid internships to thrive. 'Stop doing unpaid internships. It is a reflection of their work culture,' one user said. Another Redditor wrote, 'If the intern is so critical for the company, the company should pay the intern like it pays the CEO.'
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