Is Our Boss in Trouble for Not Keeping Proper Wage and Leave Records? How Can We Help?

Shop's Payment and Record-Keeping Practices

The shop pays in cash and does not maintain any registers. The boss records wages in his diary and takes our signatures there. Attendance is also maintained in the diary, but without signatures. After resigning, a coworker complained to the authorities about the boss not providing any leaves in the final settlement. The boss often helps by forgiving a few leaves but deducts from the salary if there are too many. There is no system for any leave application or any types of leaves such as CL, SL, EL, etc.

Concerns About Compliance and Financial Practices

The boss is always helpful, but a friend suggests he might be making money because the shop doesn't follow any rules or paperwork. The boss has no proof that the friend was paid less due to leaves. How can we help our boss? Is he in trouble?

Non-compliance and Its Consequences

Non-compliance in utter disregard of the applicable laws and rules by any individual would certainly result in great difficulty. Just ask your boss, and then he would inquire intelligently about the proof of employment of the individual in his establishment. It would be better if he listens; advise him for a negotiated settlement.

Current Issue with Wage Claims

The boss has provided appointment letters, PF, and ESI for every worker, including my friends. The boss asked me to talk to my friend and try to resolve the issue, but since the diary is maintained, my friend is saying he will claim that wages are also not paid to him and harass. He is even advising me to do the same, but I am against it. I have already advised the boss to maintain registers for the future, but how can we solve the current problem?

Attendance and Salary Management Issues

The situation is that the boss has paid salaries based on his entries in the diary, but no attendance register is maintained. It is not necessary to have the daily signature of the employees in the attendance register; if they are marked present otherwise, it would suffice. The only significance of signatures is that they serve as undeniable evidence of being present or absent. In response to the complaint, the relevant extract of the diary could be produced and defended. Although there is an infringement of the Shop & Establishment Act, the punishment for it is meager. The boss doesn't have to succumb to such blackmailing but should instead start compliance at the earliest.