A Reddit user recently took to the online forum Indian Workplace to expose what he described as an extremely toxic and exploitative work environment at a reputed marine institute in Chennai. His detailed post painted a troubling picture of an organization that imposes absurd rules, maintains a flawed salary structure, and shows little regard for its employees’ well-being. He urged others to stay away from such institutions that exploit staff under the guise of discipline and order.
According to his account, the institute allows only twelve paid leaves per year, but the policy restricts employees from taking more than one in a month. Even though unused leaves can be carried forward, no one is permitted to take over three leaves in a single month, regardless of accumulated days. Employees are also required to apply for leave at least 48 hours in advance. Failure to do so results in a severe penalty—one and a half days’ salary is deducted for what the management labels as “last-minute leave.”
Workers can take up to six such last-minute leaves annually without extra salary deduction, but again, not more than one per month.
The company’s work-from-home policy, as the employee described, is even more unreasonable. Staff members are permitted only two work-from-home days per month. If someone opts for the first, they receive only half of their usual pay for that day. Should they choose a second, the deduction worsens—only forty percent of their daily salary is credited. This practice, he said, demotivates employees and discourages flexibility, defeating the purpose of such a policy.
Adding to the frustration, the institute lacks a human resources department. Payroll management is handled by the accounts team, which frequently credits incorrect salaries. Employees must calculate their own pay and report the discrepancies, after which the accounts department takes an unusually long time to fix the error. This not only delays payments but also reflects the sheer inefficiency of the system.
The post also highlighted the grueling work hours. Many employees reportedly work twelve-hour shifts, from five in the morning to five in the evening, sometimes even longer, for a monthly salary of just ₹30,000. The management, he claimed, has no empathy or concern for the workforce, often assigning additional responsibilities beyond an employee’s role. To make matters worse, workers are forbidden from interacting with one another because management believes conversation reduces productivity.
When this post surfaced, Reddit users reacted with disbelief and sarcasm. One joked that the company’s bizarre rules sounded like a math puzzle from school, while another quipped that it resembled a prison or a bonded labor setup rather than a professional institute, calling the policies dehumanizing and absurd.
According to his account, the institute allows only twelve paid leaves per year, but the policy restricts employees from taking more than one in a month. Even though unused leaves can be carried forward, no one is permitted to take over three leaves in a single month, regardless of accumulated days. Employees are also required to apply for leave at least 48 hours in advance. Failure to do so results in a severe penalty—one and a half days’ salary is deducted for what the management labels as “last-minute leave.”
Workers can take up to six such last-minute leaves annually without extra salary deduction, but again, not more than one per month.
The company’s work-from-home policy, as the employee described, is even more unreasonable. Staff members are permitted only two work-from-home days per month. If someone opts for the first, they receive only half of their usual pay for that day. Should they choose a second, the deduction worsens—only forty percent of their daily salary is credited. This practice, he said, demotivates employees and discourages flexibility, defeating the purpose of such a policy.
Adding to the frustration, the institute lacks a human resources department. Payroll management is handled by the accounts team, which frequently credits incorrect salaries. Employees must calculate their own pay and report the discrepancies, after which the accounts department takes an unusually long time to fix the error. This not only delays payments but also reflects the sheer inefficiency of the system.
The post also highlighted the grueling work hours. Many employees reportedly work twelve-hour shifts, from five in the morning to five in the evening, sometimes even longer, for a monthly salary of just ₹30,000. The management, he claimed, has no empathy or concern for the workforce, often assigning additional responsibilities beyond an employee’s role. To make matters worse, workers are forbidden from interacting with one another because management believes conversation reduces productivity.
When this post surfaced, Reddit users reacted with disbelief and sarcasm. One joked that the company’s bizarre rules sounded like a math puzzle from school, while another quipped that it resembled a prison or a bonded labor setup rather than a professional institute, calling the policies dehumanizing and absurd.
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