Unpaid Salaries and Legal Help Needed: How Can We Handle This Company Crisis?

Unpaid Salaries and Legal Guidance Needed

I am working for a private Ltd. organization dealing with wastewater management construction since July 2010 as an Assistant Manager (Operations) and posted at the work field site. Since July 2015, we (total staff in the organization, approximately 60 members) have not been paid by the company, including the sub-contractors and suppliers. We have been receiving emails stating that the company is in trouble and all cooperation from employees is appreciated. The issue will be settled at the earliest.

Slowly, the higher management employees left the organization without giving hope to the juniors, and all the company servers were kept under their control only to post their mails. We never met our MD, and his information was not disclosed at any moment.

We were informed that this is an investor-based company and they are waiting for another investor to arrange for salaries. Every employee in the organization is owed almost 8 months' worth of salary, with no one responding to the issue. Communication has not been proper, and there is no facility for telephone/email approach. I sent a speed post, but there was a door-lock intimation resulting in the bounce of the letter.

I do not understand how these types of agencies can be treated. The PF amount has not been paid since May 2015. We are supposed to receive the salaries, PF amounts, and gratuities as well.

We request your suggestions and the guiding steps to proceed on how these companies can be treated legally. Thank you, sir. Please help save the lives of almost 100 members or more.

Regards

Jointly approach local labor officials. Then approach EPF authority. Approach local police with a complaint regarding non-payment of salary and absconding of managing officials without a trace. Even the Registrar of Companies can be approached to trace out who the founders are. Suppliers and subcontractors can be requested to take up the matter legally to increase pressure if you are convinced that the founders have finally ditched the company and left all of you in the lurch.

Hi, sir,

We have taken the issue to the local labor commissioner, and a grievance has been raised to the EPF official through online channels. The local police are refusing to take the complaint; instead, they are asking us to file it in Thane. This is not possible for us in the current situation.

Please help us.

"Local police are refusing to take complaints; instead, they are asking us to lodge a complaint in Thane. Send a written complaint by speed post with full details to the Superintendent of Police, describing the case and the fact that the local police are not accepting the complaint. Include details of your visit to the police station, whom you spoke to, etc. A full descriptive complaint will provide proper grounds for action in accordance with the law."

Please ensure there is a single line break between paragraphs for better readability.

Dear Naren,

I was surprised to learn that you have been working at such a company for almost a year without receiving any salary or pay. Have you received a PF number or a pay slip from the contractor? I suggest that you seek assistance from the Labor Court immediately regarding your situation, and provide official documents such as your Appointment Letter, offer letter, salary slips with PF number, etc.

Please also file a complaint by sending a letter to the Commissioner of EPF. You can easily find the address of your local EPF office by searching on Google.

Warm Regards,
Sudhir