How Should I Handle Not Receiving My Salary for Three Months? Feeling Stressed and Overwhelmed

Dear All/Team, Please guide me on what I should do as my entire team and I have not received our salaries and conveyance for the last three months. I am mentally depressed and harassed.

I empathize with you. Working without a salary is really very difficult. But then with whom have you spoken about your salary? What does your HR say?

If you are convinced that the salary cannot be recovered easily, then you may approach the labor office in your area and submit the application. Let's see what they do.

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

I would first insist on finding the reason why the company has not paid salaries for the last 3 months. Many times, it is all about the commitment to the company during the downfall. Gradually, the company will pay as they recover. But if you feel this is not the case, please immediately approach the labor law office and file a complaint.

Regards,
Harpreet

Dear Dinesh Sir & Harpreet Sir,

Thanks for writing. The company has not cleared the salaries, conveyance, and other variables of any employee across India. A few employees have filed police complaints and legal notices against the company, but nothing has progressed. We have received commitments via email from the CEO regarding the clearance of the same. He has convinced me several times during our verbal conversations until the 10th of this month.

The issue now is that the company has issued our termination letters and is refusing to provide a satisfactory response regarding performance when questioned, promising to pay the outstanding amount from the last four months as Full and Final settlement within the next 90 days. We strongly disagree with this because the company has not yet cleared the Full and Final settlements for employees who resigned in August. Many employees are going through hardship and feeling helpless due to the probation period. The company has never adhered to the strategies they designed and changed them at any given point, putting us in a disruptive situation.

Please help and guide me on a few points as below:

A) Is this the definition of Full and Final settlement in a Private Limited Company or as per the law?

B) What could be another best way to recover our money since lawyers are charging exorbitant fees? They themselves are uncertain about the time frame. I was surprised to learn that many such cases have been in court for 10-15 years.

Thank you.

Best regards

You can file an application under Section 15 of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, for any delay in the payment of monthly wages only if you are drawing wages up to Rs. 18,000 per month, as per subsection 6 of Section 1 of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936. This is for the information of the concerned person.

Regards,
P. Vathiraj

Understanding the Situation

Kindly don't get depressed and analyze the reason for non-payment from the angle of management as well. Probably, you could find an answer.

Heaven really will not fall if you don't get a salary for months. It is a myth; you assume you're a victim of circumstances. You have been brought up until now not by this company to survive. There are numerous people in your social circle to help if only you approach them. If you are steadfast in your determination, you will find an alternate job anywhere. Don't stick to your rigid assumptions; take a job elsewhere, consider a different profession until you come to terms with stability to support yourself and your family. Many times we don't anticipate a situation like this, and we get depressed. Reality always stares at you.

Taking Action

Don't panic; be organized to collectively fight for your cause. Maybe actions need to be distributed among you people. Get in touch with your family and friends; speak out to them that there is a problem. Let someone near and dear take additional responsibility until you tide over the crisis. Ask them to suggest and come forward. This is the time you need near and dear ones and family support.

Your case needs special attention with all details for an HR professional to help you in this matter. May God help in all your endeavors henceforth.

Regards,
V. Raveendran.

While what needs to be done for getting a salary has been discussed by several people, I want to address another aspect. Perhaps you and your colleagues have borrowed funds from banks, and now the banker or their recovery agents are pressurizing you for repayment. This can heighten stress levels in such situations. It is advisable to approach the counseling centers established by banks in each district, which are at arm's length from the lending banks, to seek advice. Essentially, you need to know whom to contact for requesting a repayment holiday, postponement of installments, debt restructuring, etc.

Regards,
V.N. Kulkarni