Salary not paid? Your rights under the Code on Wages
Under the Code on Wages, 2019, in force since 21 November 2025, monthly salary must be paid by the 7th of the next month, and dues within two working days of leaving a job. You can claim unpaid wages within three years.
The Code on Wages, 2019 came into force on 21 November 2025, along with the other Labour Codes. It replaced older laws such as the Payment of Wages Act and the Minimum Wages Act.
When your salary must be paid
- Monthly salary: before the 7th day of the following month, whatever the size of the employer.
- When you leave (resignation, dismissal, retrenchment or closure): your wages must be paid within two working days.
Step 1: Ask in writing
Write to your employer (email is fine) listing the months unpaid and the amount due, and ask for payment by a date. Keep your appointment letter, salary slips, bank statements showing past salary, attendance records and messages.
Step 2: Complain to the labour authority
If your employer still doesn’t pay, file a claim with the authority under the Code on Wages, usually at your local labour department (Labour Commissioner’s office). You have three years to file a claim for unpaid wages, much longer than under the old laws.
Step 3: Other options
- A legal notice and, if needed, a civil suit to recover the money.
- If your employer has shut down or vanished, still file with the labour department and keep all records.
Related
- Gratuity under the new Labour Codes
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