‘Had A Breakup, Need Break’: Gurugram CEO Shares Employee’s Honest Leave Request, Internet Reacts with Support and Humor
‘Had A Breakup, Need Break’: Gurugram CEO Shares Employee’s Honest Leave Request, Internet Reacts with Support and Humor
CEO Jasveer Singh of Knot Dating applauds Gen Z’s openness as viral post on heartbreak leave sparks a conversation about mental health at work.
Breakups are hard and sometimes, so is showing up for work the next day. But one employee’s honesty about needing time off to heal has struck a chord online. Gurugram-based entrepreneur Jasveer Singh, co-founder and CEO of Knot Dating, recently shared what he called the “most honest leave request” he’s ever received.
The message, simple yet heartfelt, read:
“Hello Sir, I recently had a breakup and haven’t been able to focus on work. I need a short break. I’m working from home today, so I’d like to take leave from the 28th to 8th.”
The subject line of the email was “Leave application from 28th to 8th.” Singh shared a screenshot of it on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Got the most honest leave application yesterday. Gen Z doesn’t do filters!”
Got the most honest leave application yesterday. Gen Z doesn’t do filters! pic.twitter.com/H0J27L5EsE
— Jasveer Singh (@jasveer10) October 28, 2025
The post, shared on October 28, has since gone viral, amassing over 6.5 million views and sparking a broader discussion about emotional honesty and mental health in professional spaces.
Singh, whose company runs a dating app, praised the employee’s candour and confirmed that the leave was approved without hesitation. He added that such openness reflected how today’s younger workforce is unafraid to express emotional vulnerability, a shift from traditional workplace norms.
The internet quickly joined the conversation — with many finding the request relatable, brave, and even therapeutic.
One user joked, “Please grant him leave. Uske mohalle me Aishwarya nahi aati hogi,” to which Singh responded, “Leave approved without any questions.” Another remarked, “This is perfectly okay. Better yet, don’t explain what it’s for at all.”
The thread soon filled with light-hearted generational comparisons. “Gen Z breaks up and applies for leave. Millennials broke down, cried in the washroom, and still met deadlines,” one person wrote, capturing the humorous yet telling contrast.
Others applauded Singh for normalising emotional honesty in corporate culture, arguing that transparency about mental well-being should be met with understanding, not judgment.
What began as a simple leave application has now opened up an important conversation — about empathy, work-life balance, and the need to humanise workplaces in an age of rising burnout and emotional strain.
