A senior software developer, in a Reddit post, claimed that he is being compelled to put in an additional 20 hours of unpaid work each week. In a candid post, the techie explained how their company has mandated extensive self-learning hours for career progression. According to the post, the organisation has made it clear that completing extra training is essential for anyone aiming to become a tech lead. "That’s 3 hours every weekday after work, and my weekends completely gone. It’s unpaid, non-negotiable, and they’ve made it clear that if I want to grow here, I have to do this," he wrote. Apart from the excessive workload, the techie shared that the demands have started to take a serious toll on their physical health, with symptoms such as chest heaviness, prompting a doctor to advise them to steer clear of high-stress environments. "I know they won’t believe me or care. They already said there’s no other option. Now I’m stuck. I’m anxious, exhausted, and my health is starting to get worse," he said. The post is titled "I’m being forced to work 20 extra unpaid hours a week." See the viral post here: I’m being forced to work 20 extra unpaid hours a week byu/Money-Contract-8885 inIndianWorkplace The post prompted a wave of reactions, with many social media users sharing ideas to cope with the situation. "Just don't do it, ask your manager to allocate self learning time period during work hours," a user wrote. "From my personal experience, I have to advise you to avoid any high stress environment. Never ignore chest palpitations, difficulty in breathing, etc. If something is not right, just walk away from it - all the more important if it's a toxic workplace. Never let anyone manipulate and use you in such a manner," another user commented. "I hope you have talked to your manager about this or have started looking for better opportunities. It’s waste of time posting here if you’ve done none of the above," a third user reacted.
