What is ‘HiPPO'? Angry employee coins a term for the workplace favouritism. Internet has a field day
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News18
2 days ago
- News18
‘Rain Allowance?' Why Indian Man's 'Weird' Question During Job Interview Was A Fair Ask
During a job interview, a candidate asked the interviewer about the company's rain allowance policy as the Ola and Uber fares shot up significantly when it poured. A candidate put forth his expectations when an interviewer asked him about what he looked for in the company. He had anticipated a 'rain allowance" that allowed him to use ride-hailing apps, fares of which shoot up during the monsoon season. While asking for the rain pay, the candidate provided the screener with additional options. Either he could log in from home or arrive late at work. The interviewer, taken aback by the unusual ask, looked back at the interaction only to conclude that the job applicant's expectations weren't completely out of the blue or unfounded. Speaking about their 'weird" interview experience, the interviewer took to Reddit's r/IndianWorkplace and shared what unfolded in their brief meeting for a vacancy. Rain Allowance 'Met an applicant yesterday and i screened him, when asked about his expectations, he said he needs 'Rain Allowance", and i was confused sic)," wrote the OP. The user shared that the candidate expected an allowance for showing up during the inconvenient days of rain that invariably led to waterlogged roads and never-ending traffic. 'He explained , he need extra pay for monsoon months, i told him there's no such policy, and why he is asking for that, (sic) the Reddit user wrote before adding, 'He said he uses ola/uber to come to office and their fare go rocket high, when there's rain or water clogged on roads, He even gave me some alt. either he needs work from home on rainy days, or he should be allowed to come late (sic)." This left the interviewer (Reddit user) flabbergasted. Assuming that the candidate wasn't interested, the interviewer asked him just that. The candidate responded in a positive but asserted that he had spent an additional amount in July due to heavy rain, which surged his monthly cab expenses. 'I thought he isn't interested and asked him 'if he's really interested??", he said 'yes he's interested but that's essential as he calculated his last month's travel expense and it's just double because it was raining heavily in july" and to prove his point he even asked me, if i use uber/ola to come office, i said 'yes", and he said you can try calculating your expense and compare it to normally other months (sic)." The interviewer mentioned that the candidate was respectful during the entire interaction and sounded genuine. 'Fair Ask" Those who came across the OP's post voiced that the interviewee's expectation of a rain allowance was a fair ask in today's day and age. 'That's a very fair ask. WFH during rains is a nominal ask if you don't reimburse cab fares," wrote one. 'It is new but fair ask. And ideally if WFH is possible then during bad weather days it should be accepted by company. More WFH means less traffic on road, less jams and more energy in people / employees, (sic)" added a second. Others added that if the company wasn't dispensing rain allowances then they could retain the candidate by incorporating a hybrid model with a flexible work from home (WFH) policy. Another expressed that the candidate exhibited good analytical skills and attention to detail, making him an ideal hire. Rain Menace Delhi-NCR The capital city faced relentless downpour during the Rakshabandhan weekend that dampened the spirits of siblings travelling home for the festival. The heavy downpour led to traffic disruptions and heavy congestion in several areas across the city. Gurugram Deaths During the chaotic monsoon rains in July, five people reportedly succumbed to death, with three of them dying due to electric shock in separate incidents. The victims included a graphic designer, a security guard, an auto-rickshaw driver, and two workers. Death In Dausa top videos View all In a separate yet horrific incident, an elderly man drowned in the waterlogged streets of Dausa, Rajasthan, in July. The incident caused state-wide outrage as it was alleged that the government agencies failed to show up, which was when the locals took matters into their own hands and carried the lifeless body. When no officials arrived at the scene, an ambulance allegedly showed up, but it stopped at a distance and did not have a stretcher. A resident bore the weight of the body on his shoulder, with parts of it dragging along the ground. A video of this was shot and circulated, which angered the public. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : reddit view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 13, 2025, 16:12 IST News explainers 'Rain Allowance?' Why Indian Man's 'Weird' Question During Job Interview Was A Fair Ask Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
'20% of my salary gone': Employee reveals they did not receive full compensation, as client didn't pay
An employee from a freight forwarding company recently shared their grievances on the online forum Indian Workplace, describing a situation in which their pay was reduced because a client failed to settle outstanding dues. According to their account, they work in a sales role and were surprised when their employer withheld 20 percent of their monthly salary. The deduction was reportedly justified by the company on the grounds that one of the client accounts had not cleared its pending payment. The individual explained that there was no written communication or official notice regarding this pay cut. The only prior intimation came through an informal, face-to-face discussion with their Head of Department. They also pointed out that no such clause exists in the organization's HR policy, nor was it mentioned in their employment agreement or appointment letter. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program This salary cut posed a serious financial strain on the employee, who expressed uncertainty about whether it was even lawful for an employer to penalize staff for non-payment by clients. They reached out to fellow forum members for guidance on whether such a deduction could be challenged and how to address the matter without jeopardizing their employment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Mixed Pink Salt With This - Now She Can't Stop Losing Weight Your Health Undo Community Feedback and Perspectives The post drew multiple responses from forum users, many of whom offered context and personal viewpoints on the situation. Some noted that the freight forwarding sector is crowded with competitors and operates on narrow profit margins, which could be why certain companies attempt to offset losses in unconventional ways. Others remarked that if an employee is expected to shoulder the risk of unpaid client accounts , it mirrors the responsibilities of a business owner—yet without the benefits or equity that come with ownership. Several participants highlighted that, from a legal standpoint, only variable pay linked to performance or company revenue targets might be adjusted in such circumstances. Fixed salary components are generally protected, making unilateral deductions questionable. However, they cautioned that pursuing legal recourse could be a lengthy process and might carry the risk of professional retaliation or eventual job loss. The discussion underscored the fine balance between employee rights, company policies, and the unpredictable realities of industries where client payments are not always guaranteed.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
'Don't come to the office from Monday': Employee reveals how 6 months of hard work ended in job loss
Early Months at the Agency Handling Difficult Clients Outdated Technology and Workflow Delays Pressure to Work Weekends Personal Priorities vs. Company Demands Community Reactions An employee has shared an upsetting experience online, alleging they were abruptly let go from their job—not due to underperformance or unprofessional conduct, but simply because they declined to work on Saturdays. Posting anonymously on the subreddit Indian Workplace, the worker recounted the series of events that led to the to the post, the individual had been employed at the agency for approximately six to eight months. Initially, the work environment seemed manageable. However, things began to shift around March 2025 when a colleague resigned. The departing employee's responsibilities—primarily managing clients—were handed over to the Reddit of the first major hurdles was dealing with demanding clients. The worker described them as excessively critical, pointing out every minor design flaw as though the work was being created for their personal use rather than for their end customers. This persistent nitpicking, they explained, became a significant source of second challenge arose from the fact that the company's designer was working on a computer that was nearly 15 years old. This outdated equipment frequently caused technical issues, slowing down the design process. Despite explaining the situation to their boss, the employee was met with dismissive remarks. The manager allegedly insisted that such issues only caused negligible delays—seconds rather than hours—accusing the employee of making time, a new demand emerged: the boss began insisting on Saturday work. Citing a downturn in the market and difficulties securing new clients, management stressed the importance of client satisfaction. Initially, the employee agreed to work from home on Saturdays, coordinating between the designer and clients to ensure project completion. However, the extra workload eventually became employee explained that they rarely went into the office on Saturdays, as weekends were dedicated to personal commitments, including volunteer work with an NGO. The boss, however, maintained that any pending tasks must be completed—even if it required working on both Saturdays and Sundays. According to the employee, client satisfaction took precedence over any personal situation came to a head when the worker received a message on a Sunday morning stating they need not return to the office from Monday onward, as their priorities were 'different' from the company's."I got the message on a Sunday morning saying that I need not come to the office from Monday cause my priorities are different from his..." he from fellow Reddit users were mixed. Some sympathized, arguing that weekend work should only be required in exceptional cases and, even then, should remain optional with overtime pay. Others noted that while the employee's frustrations with clients were understandable, paying clients have the right to expect high attention to commenter saw the firing as a reflection of typical Indian workplace practices , suggesting that the employer might have been looking for a reason to replace the worker with someone less experienced and cheaper. They assured the employee that, in the long run, leaving the company could prove beneficial and offered to share any job leads that came their way.
