Laid‑off employee’s WFH request during notice period sparks online debate

Getting the pink slip is stressful enough, but imagine being told you have to march back into the office while you’re already counting down your last few days. That’s exactly what happened to a tech employee who was let go but still had to serve a notice period.

Instead of packing up his desk, the employee’s only real task was to run knowledge‑transfer (KT) sessions for the team. All of those sessions were happening on Google Meet, so he asked HR if he could finish the job from home until his final day.

“I’m already doing the KT over video calls,” he wrote in a Reddit post, “so I don’t see why I need to be in the office.” He even added that he wasn’t using any company hardware that required his physical presence.

The HR reply was blunt: “No.” No further explanation, just a flat denial.

The post quickly gathered attention. Some users questioned why anyone would even be on the payroll after a layoff. Others suggested practical workarounds – like charging a fee for the KT sessions, or offering a compromise of a few days in the office instead of every day.

One commenter wrote, “Never seen anyone serving notice after being laid off,” while another joked, “Just tell them you need the time to hunt for your next gig; maybe they’ll bend a little.” The consensus was clear: the employee wasn’t alone, and many felt HR’s stance ignored the reality of remote‑friendly work.

While the story is still just a snapshot of one person’s experience, it shines a light on a larger conversation about flexibility, employee dignity, and how companies handle the awkward phase between layoff and exit.