Boss asks sick employee for live location to approve leave; internet calls it ‘absolute creep’ behaviour | Today News

A Reddit post has triggered a debate around workplace boundaries and privacy after an employee alleged that their manager demanded access to their live location as a condition for approving sick leave.

The incident was shared on Reddit in a post titled “Is asking for live location okay?”, where the user described what they called an alarming example of managerial overreach. According to the employee, the issue arose after they requested sick leave for a second consecutive day due to severe headaches.

“I had taken leave yesterday because of an acute headache. This morning, I asked my boss for another day off as I was still unwell,” the user wrote. What followed, however, left them unsettled.

The employee said their manager asked them to first speak to the human resources department. HR, in turn, reportedly asked for “valid documents” to support the sick leave request. When the employee relayed this response to their boss, the situation escalated further. “He then asked me to share my live location,” the user wrote, adding that they were uncomfortable with the demand and unsure about the possible consequences of refusing.

To support their claim, the Reddit user shared screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation with their manager. In the chat, the boss initially instructed the employee to submit medical documents by the end of the day. Shortly after, the demand for live location access followed. When the employee questioned the need for such personal information, the manager reportedly replied that the request was based on instructions from HR.

The post quickly gained traction on Reddit, with many users expressing concern over what they described as a serious invasion of privacy. Several commenters advised the employee not to comply with the request, pointing out that sharing real-time location data has no reasonable connection to verifying illness or approving sick leave.

Many users also questioned the claim that such a practice could be part of an official HR policy, calling it unethical and potentially unlawful. Some urged the employee to ask for written confirmation of the policy or to escalate the matter to senior management or legal authorities if the pressure continued.

The viral discussion has reignited conversations about toxic workplace practices, particularly in India’s corporate environment, where employees often feel compelled to comply with unreasonable demands out of fear of retaliation. Critics online argued that demanding live location data crosses professional boundaries and reflects a culture of excessive control rather than trust.

A user wrote, “Straight up deny it. Highlight privacy concerns. Also seeing its on whatsapp, I am assuming its an Indian company of small size, such toxicity and micro-management is what is letting the domestic sector down big time.”

Another user wrote, “They think you’re partying , if you’re partying deny the request , if you’re not partying tell them that you have signed up for work and not slavery and your location is not a matter of concern and sharing it only to create record of their approach for later use.”

“Absolutely not, do not share your location. They hired you for work and your location is none of their business,” the third user wrote.

“Nope, It's not okay! Nobody from your work can ask for your location, It's not their right! I get that they're feeling doubtful whether you're actually sick or not, but it's your privacy. They can't ask for it,” the fourth wrote.

“What an absolute creep! Tell him you are on leave, not on parole. Should be back on the map once you are back at work,” the fifth wrote.

(This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)