Facing Unfair Treatment and Salary Issues at Work – How Can I Get My Due Pay?

Request for Assistance Due to Workplace Harassment

I need a suggestion; please help me out as I am suffering from harassment. I can't disclose my company name now. Here, with three partners, they started this company in June 2014. In the company, usually, only two partners will come. I'll name them as A and B. Both A and B are my ex-colleagues, where A was a business developer and B was a system admin.

Because of some reasons, I left my ex-company. At the same time, A poached me to join his company as he was aware and mentioned that I am good at my work. He promised and gave me a lot of hope for career growth. This company is into IT training for MNC clients. I joined him, and work started. In my ex-company, my salary was 23k, and in hand 22.7k per month. Here, because it was new, A promised a salary of 24k. Nothing was on paper, only through phone. He told me, but they started paying 23k instead of 24k for six months. After reminding them many times about A's promise of a 24k salary, both A and B started giving reasons, saying that they forgot or it would be credited next month, and so on. But I never received 24k. After seven months of work, when I was supposed to get my hike, they started paying 24k. They always used to pay after the 15th of every month. When I said I would look for other options, they increased my salary to 28k after completing one year. Meanwhile, whoever joined them all left due to their management and behavior. I was the only one who worked until September 2015. In July 2015, they received a bulk requirement from an MNC, which is their permanent source of money. At the same time, they did not have any requirement for me. Now it's a private limited company. On September 30th, B told me that they are shutting down my work due to no requirements, and I could take a 15-day buffer to search for another job. I left that day, thinking of clearing things with both of them about the 15-day buffer, whether I had to come to the office or it would be paid leave, or what actually. Then A started behaving very roughly. He clearly told me not to come to the office on September 30th without any prior notice, and I would get my salary on October 10th. But now, A and B are harassing me, as they don't want to pay my September month's salary. B is asking me to submit my rental agreement and any insurance I have to avoid deductions because until now, they never deducted any tax from June 2014 to August 2015. I was shocked when B mentioned that the tax is more than 30k, and I have to submit insurance documents. I understood that they want to escape from paying my 30k September salary.

At the time of joining, I clearly asked for an in-hand salary of 24k without any deductions. They have not given me my money, saying they will balance it in the next month, but their next month has never come. In September, I was supposed to get 30k.

In the offer letter I never signed, because while paying me 23k for the first six months, they asked me to sign a 24k package, which was mentioned in the offer letter. I denied signing that; first, they had to balance my pending salary, then only I would sign.

Please help me out. I need my 30k salary for my work without any deductions. They are not supposed to eat my money claiming tax and all because they mentioned an in-hand salary without any deductions.

Also, they are expelling me without any notice within one day's time.

Please guide me on what I should do. Please reply ASAP.

Regards

Legal Battle vs. Moving On

You can fight a legal battle in the courts. The best option is to leave and look for opportunities elsewhere. These kinds of employers are not worth wasting your time on in court (though they probably deserve it). They have taken you for granted (based on what you have written), and once their need was over, they wanted to drop you. It is a clear case of misjudgment by a colleague.

Learning from Experience

This experience will serve you well if you critically analyze your own actions (such as allowing yourself to be poached by another company, likely based on verbal assurances of pay, etc.). Learn from this episode—an offer letter should always be in place; verbal promises hold no weight (otherwise, given the promises of our politicians, India would have been a superpower by now).

You mentioned that you are good at your work, so finding another job should not be difficult. Move on and focus on advancing your career. Best of luck.

Regards

I don't think a legal battle will work in your case. There are a lot of complications and required documents, proofs, and minimal employee strength to file a legal suit. Alternatively, you can raise a cheating complaint at the police station; they would assist you with this.

Before that, try to negotiate and retrieve your money using different tactics. You might be aware of how they behave in different scenarios. Explain that you never intended to leave, but due to the business slowdown, you were left with no choice. Now, without a job, you need your salary to cover your regular monthly expenses. Assure them that you will always be available to assist with any help they may need, even providing business leads in the future if you join a new company.

If they remain unconvinced, seek help from the police or women's police. The authorities will take serious actions. Mention that your salary has not reached the taxable limit, and any pending dues will be settled in your new employment.

I hope this advice proves helpful to you.

Thank a lot, dear seniors. I am really upset about their suddenly changed behavior, but I can't leave my job just like that, especially when there are many trainers who have not been paid. Yes, I have started searching for a new job now.

Like Nathrao suggested, it's surely not worth going after these guys legally, even though they surely deserve such a counter. I also agree with him that you need to do some self-introspection. Take it from me: there will still be 'hazaar' people out there to take advantage even further in your life. That's the story of many knowledgeable and worthy professionals. But it's up to you whether to allow it or not, and gender has nothing to do here.

One can take advantage of another only as long as he/she allows it to happen. However, you may still make similar mistakes, though far fewer ones, and that's the learning part of anyone's life.

As far as possible, don't let such situations affect your thought process. That's the beauty of life: happiness is found along the way, not at the end of the road.

Approach to Resolve the Issue

Coming to this issue, the only way to get whatever money possible (may not be the full amount possibly) will be to go to the police, like Divakar suggested. Go to a Women's Police Station and file a cheating case. Be mentally prepared to shell out something there – you know what this means.

But I don't think Divakar's suggestion about "try to go low and get your money" will work here. That would surely be one option, but not here – based on what you mentioned, these guys seem to be one of those who habitually 'use and throw' people. And such guys only listen to the 'stick' policy.

Suggest not going after them 'to teach them a lesson'. That's not your problem. Hope you get the point.

Like Nathrao mentioned, given that you have self-confidence, getting another job shouldn't be that difficult, though I know this is easier said than done.

All the best.

Regards,
TS

Thank you, Mr. Tajsateesh, for your guidance. I am really thankful to all the seniors who took the time to read and reply to me on the matter. It has given me a great boost of confidence. With all your well wishes and support, I received my Bal today without any further trouble. I truly appreciate Mr. Kumar who spoke to my company people to resolve the issue. I am now looking into opportunities with some good companies, and soon I will be moving forward.

Dear Anamika,

In your case, don't fight with them legally because, in the end, in court, demand only document proof for the same and you don't have. Start searching for a good job rather than wasting your valuable time and money in this matter. As Swami Vivekananda said:

"Take risks in your life,
If you win, then you can lead.
If you fail, then you can learn."

Regards,
Dev