India, Oct. 1 -- What does it cost to escape a toxic workplace? For a 31-year-old woman, the price tag was exact: Rs.2 lakh in bond penalties, a canceled vacation, and a 50% pay cut at her new job.

Madhurima (who did not wish to reveal her last name) spoke to Hindustantimes.com about why she decided to quit her job at a government-owned bank - a job, incidentally, for which she had prayed and prepared for two years.

"I was crying every day after work," the 31-year-old told HT over a phone call. "I was working more than 12 hours a day, sometimes even on Sundays. My leave requests were denied and I could not even use the washroom during work. It gave me a severe UTI," she revealed.

During the course of the conversation, Madhurima elabora...