‘No salary, mental torture': Reddit user claims big IT firm withheld pay, made threats

A Reddit user's serious allegations against a top IT firm have sparked outrage and debate online, highlighting serious claims of mental harassment, salary denial, and questionable HR practices at one of India's largest tech firms.

In a detailed Reddit post user Anxious-Tangelo-8150 claimed that the firm, after the user's project ended in mid-October, their team was moved to the bench—a common industry practice for idle employees awaiting new projects. The user mentioned, "Since we had the option to work from home, we utilized it," but troubles began when they returned to the office in January and were assigned to a new project.

According to the user's account, their internal access (Ultimatix) was suddenly blocked. Upon contacting HR, they received a shocking response. "They claimed that since I did not report to the office from mid-October to December, they would not pay me for those three months. Additionally, they informed me that they would deduct my next three months' salary to recover the arrears," the Reddit user stated.

Further complicating matters, HR reportedly demanded written acceptance of these terms to unblock access and insisted on daily office attendance thereafter. During this period, the user said they "received no financial support," from the firm and their provident fund (PF) was also not credited, forcing them to rely on personal savings for rent, food, and other essentials.

Frustration deepened as the user's new project involved working demanding shifts from 2 PM to midnight—or later—for a USA-based client. Yet, HR scheduled mandatory meetings at 10 AM, penalizing absences by adding extra arrears, "regardless of whether I worked on that day or not," the user added.

The Redditor also mentioned facing intimidation upon contemplating resignation: "HR was extremely rude and insisted that I had to pay the three months' salary before leaving and mentioned that they will blacklist me."

Reactions from other Reddit users varied widely. One commenter advised immediate escalation, recommending, "Send one email cc'ing all reporting managers describing every possible harassment… and use that mail in social media in case they blacklist."

Another user argued the complaint might lack validity, saying, "Only Quarterly Variable Pay is affected in case of not reporting to office," suggesting the scenario presented was improbable or exaggerated.

Others urged caution, noting, "Wise to not assume anything while on bench," warning that the absence of documented approvals or evidence of work completed during bench time could leave the user with "a futile fight."