India, March 16 -- An employer who apparently denied leave to employees for Holi also informed them that they must remain colour-free if they wanted to enter office premises. A screenshot of the manager's message was shared on Reddit by a disgruntled employee, sparking a wider conversation on toxic Indian workplaces.

The unnamed employee took to the popular "Indian Workplace" subreddit to air his frustration. He said that his employer refused to grant a leave for Holi. Despite the festival being widely celebrated, the company did not approve time off for employees.

If employees take leave without approval on Holi, it would be marked as unapproved and unpaid, the boss said. Additionally, the company applies a "sandwich salary deduction" ...