A software developer at a product-based startup has accused the company of exploiting employees by requiring them to pay for a Cursor IDE subscription, an AI-powered coding tool, to achieve mandatory code coverage targets. In a viral Reddit post, he described the situation as “peak employee extortion,” detailing how management pressured developers to improve test coverage to 80%. Instead of providing subscriptions through the company, employees were told to purchase the $20 monthly plan themselves with a promise of reimbursement that was later compromised by new conditions. Management demanded reports on each developer’s use of the tool to qualify for reimbursement, creating a situation where employees felt they had to “beg” for their money back. The post sparked widespread criticism, with many users expressing disbelief at the company’s actions, highlighting the trend of employers pushing costs onto employees despite the availability of AI solutions in the industry.
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