A woman has alleged workplace insensitivity at a Mumbai-based mental health non-governmental organisation (NGO) after her request to be excused from a Sunday workshop due to severe period pain was reportedly dismissed by the organisation’s director. The claim was shared through a Reddit post that included a screenshot of the alleged exchange.
According to the employee, she had been experiencing intense pain since the previous day and requested that a colleague cover a one-hour online workshop scheduled on a Sunday. In response, the director allegedly said, “Please don’t cancel workshops every week. It reflects very bad on us,” without acknowledging her health concerns.
In her post, the employee explained that the NGO conducts weekly Sunday workshops in collaboration with another organisation, despite official working hours being Monday to Friday. She added that she had recently attended a two-day training programme on Friday and Saturday from morning to evening, even while unwell, and had completed all assigned responsibilities.
The employee also clarified in the comments that no workshops had been cancelled previously. She said two sessions were postponed due to issues on the partner NGO’s side, while another could not be conducted because her team was attending a conference.
The incident has triggered widespread discussion online, with several users criticising the alleged lack of empathy, particularly given the organisation’s focus on suicide prevention and mental health. Many pointed to what they described as a disconnect between the NGO’s external mission and its internal work culture.
Several commenters shared similar experiences from the development and mental health sectors, highlighting challenges around long working hours, limited flexibility, and emotional strain. Some described the situation as emblematic of broader issues related to work-life balance and employee well-being within mission-driven organisations.
The NGO has not publicly responded to the allegations.
