Bengaluru firm's remote job offer turns sour after techie uncovers hidden travel costs

A software developer from New Delhi recently took to Reddit to share a concerning experience with a Bengaluru-based startup, and his post quickly gained widespread attention. The professional, who has been working in the tech industry for four years, was offered a remote Software Development Engineer (SDE1) position specializing in frontend development. However, during the final round of discussions with the company's HR department, he was met with unexpected terms that raised serious red flags.

Startling Terms Unveiled in Final HR Round

The developer recounted that although the job had been advertised as fully remote, the company introduced a mandatory requirement for quarterly in-person meetings in Bengaluru, each lasting between 7 to 10 days. These trips would not be reimbursed, meaning he would have to shoulder the entire travel and accommodation costs despite being based in New Delhi. This sudden revelation came only during the concluding HR interaction, with no prior mention in earlier discussions.

Adding to the confusion, the company also informed him of a strict Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. Under this rule, he would have to provide his own laptop for work. Furthermore, he was instructed to install certain security protocols on his personal device, purportedly to safeguard company data. According to HR, these installations were not supposed to interfere with personal usage, but were necessary for ensuring security compliance.

Community Outcry and Suspicions of Exploitation

The Reddit thread, posted in the Developers India subreddit, saw an outpouring of responses, with many users expressing deep concern and advising the developer to proceed with extreme caution. Several commenters labeled the job offer as suspicious, with some outright calling it a scam. Many users pointed out that any reputable company would provide its own work hardware and would never expect employees to install monitoring tools on personal devices.

There was strong disapproval of the quarterly travel demand without reimbursement. Users argued that expecting employees to fund their own work-related trips was not only unprofessional but exploitative. Some warned that the software required for security compliance could violate privacy by running undetected in the background and possibly collecting data from the employee’s personal system.

Developer's Dilemma Amid Financial Pressure

In a follow-up comment, the developer revealed that he had contacted the HR again to clarify the nature of the software. He was told that it would run passively in the background to ensure his system adhered to the company’s security requirements. Still uncomfortable with the idea, the developer mentioned he was now considering purchasing a separate laptop solely for work purposes, entirely at his own cost, to avoid compromising his personal data.

He also admitted that the compensation offered was far from impressive—roughly a third of Rs 35 LPA, which many commenters had suggested should be the minimum to even consider such terms. Factoring in the quarterly travel expenses, estimated at between Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 each trip, he feared that his savings would be significantly eroded.

Currently unemployed after being laid off in March, the developer said he was seriously evaluating whether this opportunity was worth the risks involved.