A Delhi techie’s bizarre corporate crisis has sparked a massive online debate after their startup demanded an unexpected financial sacrifice. On Reddit, a software engineer revealed that their company suffered a staggering ₹2 crore loss due to a critical testing error committed by a single employee. Instead of holding the individual accountable, management requested written consent from the entire team for a 20-30% pay cut over the next two months to split the cost. The techie turned to the internet to ask if they should refuse, demand equity, or jump ship.An employee asked Reddit for advice on what to do in this situation. (Representative image). (Pexels)“Company asking for a 20-30% pay cut for 2 months due to a ₹2 Crore loss caused by another employee. What should I do?” the individual posted.Also Read: ₹18 LPA in corporate or ₹6 LPA in govt?’: Employee torn between money and stabilityExplaining the situation, the individual continued, “An employee made a critical testing error that ruined a major order for an MNC brand, costing our startup ₹2 Crore,” adding, “To cover the loss, management wants a cost-sharing split. They are asking employees for written consent for a 20-30% pay cut for the next 2 months, plus appraisals are on hold. In exchange, they are offering either ESOPs or a promise to repay the deducted amount later.”The techie continued that they have years of experience and currently lead a team with over 20 members. Furthermore, they have comfortable savings, which means they can “easily absorb the pay cut without financial stress.”However, the situation has compelled the individual to ask a few tough questions: “Is it normal or legally permissible for a company to penalise an entire team for an individual’s technical mistake?”, “Since they desperately need me to maintain the core tech, should I demand a massive chunk of ESOPs if I agree to the cut?” and “Should I just refuse, let the chips fall where they may, and start interviewing elsewhere immediately?”What did social media say?The post has prompted varied responses from Reddit users. An individual suggested, “Say ‘Sorry, I cannot afford this at this stage in my life.’ No more explanations needed. Threaten to switch, if you need to.”Another expressed, “You shouldn't. If you permit it now, this will become a culture in the company.” A third posted, “This literally should come out of the founders' and upper management's paycheck, not the regular employees. If you have substantial stock options with the company, then it's understandable, but if not, then they're fleecing you for an issue out of your control.” The OP responded, “The company is currently unfunded, but management claims they will issue the ESOPs once they secure a funding round. According to our CTO, the company's current valuation is around ₹90 to ₹100 Crores, and they are aiming to raise that funding in 2027. I honestly don't know what to do.”Also Read: Professional asks ‘am I insane’ while debating to leave ₹95 lakh job at just 23A fourth wrote, “Simply deny. Why should anyone else pay for someone else's mistake? When they book a profit, do they pay an extra 20-30% of your salary as profit-sharing? If no, then they have no right to share the loss, and no one should say yes to this bulls**t offer.”(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)