Struggling with Missing Offer Letters and Unpaid Salaries: How Can We Tackle This HR Nightmare?

Lack of Offer Letter and Salary Slip

Recently, three months ago, I joined a software company. However, they have not provided me with any offer letter, appointment letter, or salary slip since August 2020.

Whenever I inquire about the salary slip, the HR department just mentions that we, the consultants who are outsourced, are the ones working for them, and she simply disregards the request.

HR Management Issues

The HR person in charge is the wife of the CEO, and she seems to be unaware of the company's rules and regulations. They deduct salary every month without providing any details of the deductions. If they are deducting for PF (Provident Fund), they should have had us sign the PF form, which has not been done or communicated to us.

Employee Turnover and Payment Issues

During my short time at this company, two employees have already left without being paid. On salary days, they attempt to pressure all employees, making it difficult for them to continue working, and they fail to compensate those who leave. I am seeking assistance in resolving this issue.

When one reads posts of this kind, one gets the feeling that labor rights in India are still in a primitive stage, or whether labor laws exist at all. The new labor codes have been declared with much fanfare, but whether these codes will address the real issues of labor remains to be seen.

I recommend you approach the labor office in your area and file a complaint there. If possible, have the existing employees also file a complaint. Hopefully, all of this should work. If you face any problems, then approach this forum once again.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Dear Rashmi, if what you described is true, it is a total violation of the existing labor laws and blatant unfair labor practices adopted by the said software company. At the same time, your post gives rise to some valid questions to be answered by you in detail.

1) If there were no appointment orders, how did the employees get into the company?
2) How are the salaries disbursed - just in cash?
3) Why have no employees, including those who have left, lodged any complaints with the labor department so far?
4) Has no officer from EPF or the State Labor Department visited the company so far?