Delhi man seeks work from home due to pollution, boss says no, ‘everyone is suffering’

Delhi employee’s request to work from home due to worsening health caused by the city’s hazardous air quality was turned down by their manager, sparking a wider debate online about workplace empathy during Delhi’s pollution crisis.

The employee shared screenshots of the exchange in a viral Reddit post titled “Denied WFH despite health issues from Delhi pollution.” In the post, the user said they had been dealing with severe headaches for two days amid the capital’s toxic AQI levels but continued going to the office — even staying back till 8:45 PM the previous day due to project deadlines.

When they finally asked for a single day of work-from-home instead of taking leave, the manager reportedly replied that “everyone is suffering from pollution” and allowing WFH would be “difficult” since other employees were coming in.

The Reddit user also claimed they had been requesting air purifiers in the office for over a week, but the management refused, offering no clear reasons.

“It’s beyond me how basic health concerns are being brushed aside like this,” the user wrote, questioning whether it was “too much to expect empathy” when they were still willing to work through illness.

Internet Reacts

The post quickly gained traction, with several users calling out the manager’s response and urging the employee to switch to a more supportive workplace.

One commenter wrote, “Hideous that he pulled the ‘I have headaches too’ card. How dare you rest when he doesn’t!”

Another said, “What’s the point of sick leave if you still have to work? Ridiculous.”

Some offered practical advice, suggesting the employee document the issue formally. “Apply for sick leave on email. If he still assigns work, ask him to state it on record and then escalate,” one user suggested.

Others highlighted the larger issue of living and working in polluted cities. “Empathy now feels like a privilege. North India goes through this every day,” a user wrote, adding that even Bengaluru was experiencing rising dust pollution.