• Forcing to do three month notice period

Dear Sir,
I am working with supreme securities ltd from 3rd october 2017.Recently I resigned from my position with one month notice period on mail. After 10 days they replied on my mail and forced me to serve 3 month notice period. But when I signed my offer and appointment letter it is clearly mentioned there till then I am not getting any written confirmation till such time I will be on probation and in probation my notice period is 1 month. Now kindly suggest me what should I do as i have to join new company from 2nd july.
Asked 6 years ago in Labour

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14 Answers

If there is condition of written confirmation for confirmation of your appointment, there is no necessity to serve 3 months notice period to your employer. All the best.

C. V. Jadhav
Advocate, Bangalore
545 Answers
18 Consultations

In this case, you'll have to serve a legal notice to your employer asking him to provide your relieving letter as you've served one month notice period as per agreement and therefore you can not bound to serve 3 months notice period to them.

If you fail to adhere, you can drag them to court.

Also, consider giving a complaint to the labour commissioner.

For any other doubts, feel free to call.

Regards.

Siddharth Jain
Advocate, New Delhi
6375 Answers
102 Consultations

hello,

send a message clearly to the company HR about the terms and that you have honoured the same. if they do not relent, send a notice, and initiate proceedings in a labour court and join the new co.

regards

Rahul Mishra
Advocate, Lucknow
14107 Answers
65 Consultations

You are required to serve only one month notice period as you are on probation

2) no confirmation was issued to you

3) join your new organisation after serving one month notice

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
96918 Answers
7820 Consultations

Hello,

As you have served the one month notice period you have nothing to worry.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Swarupananda Neogi
Advocate, Kolkata
2973 Answers
6 Consultations

Hello,

You go ahead and join the new company.

If you have not signed any agreement then there is no need to serve 3 months notice period.

regards

Anilesh Tewari
Advocate, New Delhi
18090 Answers
377 Consultations

This is my response to you:

1. You can leave your old job;

2. Since nowhere in the appointment letter or the bond you signed mentioned you have to serve 3 months notice period then you need not worry;

3. Maximum they will send you legal notice, to which you can reply;

4. They will not further take civil action against you since civil cases are an arduous process.

Gowaal Padavi
Advocate, Mumbai
1920 Answers
5 Consultations

Dear client,

You need not to worry. You may join another company. You have followed terms and conditions of your joining letter. Company can not compel you to join another organisation. If they stop your salary, you may make complaint to Labour Office. If you are Executive, you may file a case for recovery.

Jaswant Singh
Advocate, Gurugram
930 Answers
2 Consultations

Send them a legal notice immediately and put them on notice of the consequent damages in case of any loss.

V Ranjan
Advocate, Delhi
62 Answers

Firslty, the notice period for which you have mailed them as you are ready to serve for one month is absolutely correct as per the clauses of your offer and appointment letter.

Secondly, you need not to worry about anything.

Thirdly, you just serve one month period, and leave the office.

Fourhtly, there are all possibility that they won’t give you the salary and even the reliving letter.

Fifthly, you get start with the new company, and try to make them understand about the reliving letter if possible.

Sixthly, then file a labour complain against them for illegally holding your salary and letter plus asking for compensation and litigation expenses also.

Fight will be long but fruitful.

Good Luck...!

Rest you are free to avail my services through Kanoon.

Sanjay Baniwal
Advocate, South Delhi
5474 Answers
13 Consultations

stick to your 1 month notice period

no need to given 3 months notice if you are still on probation and not absorbed as an employee

they will not be able to take any legal action against you for not serving 3 months notice period

reply to their email and show them the particular clause in your offer letter which states that if a candidate is on probation then he is required to issue only 1 month notice

tell them that their insistence for 3 months notice is illegal

Yusuf Rampurawala
Advocate, Mumbai
7678 Answers
79 Consultations

Dear Sir,

You just ignore 3 month notice period. Please see the following relevant law.

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Is notice period (3 months) legal in India?

It may help to think of a buyout agreement as a sort of "prenuptial agreement" between co-owners: It determines what will happen if your corporation's owners decide not to stay together 'til death do them part.

The law provides remedies if a promise is breached or recognizes the performance of a promise as a duty.

Every document signed in India is legal in India provided that:

• Adhere and comply within the jurisdiction of the law/s such labor law etc..

• Not Forbidden By Law such as in IPC act 1860.

• If Permitted It Would Not Defeat The Provisions Of Any Law (other subsidiary law such as FEMA, SEBI etc)

• Does not Opposed To Public Policy.

Conclusion:

On the basis of above discussed, it can be easily understood that the ambit and scope of section 23 of the Indian contract act 1872, is vast and therefore the applicability of its provisions is subject to scrutiny by the court of the consideration and object of an agreement and the agreement itself.

Therefore, in order to bring a case within the purview of section 23, it is necessary to show that the object of the agreement or consideration of the agreement or the agreement itself is unlawful.

I'll keep it short and simple:

Either party - employer or employee can terminate the contract by giving sufficient notice or compensating accordingly. In such a case, employer is bound to release the employee without any fuss, assuming that either of the above two conditions are met.

So, if your organization doesn't allow you to buyout the notice period, please feel free to knock on the doors of the Indian judiciary.

The following key issues should be highlighted:

• A 30 to 90-day notice period applies in order to terminate ‘workmen’ (as defined in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947) – that is, employees whose role is not primarily supervisory, administrative or managerial) for convenience, with 15 days’ pay due for every year worked. In the case of manufacturing units, plantations and mines with 100 or more workmen, termination for convenience requires prior government approval; in other sectors, it requires only government notification.

• Termination for cause does not include non-performance – it includes only behaviour which qualifies as misconduct.

• The ‘last in, first out’ principle requires that the employer first terminate for convenience the last people to join the organisation in the same role. However, this requirement can be contracted out of. When hiring for the same role, workmen who were terminated for convenience should be given the opportunity to re-join the company.

• State laws generally provide for about 15 days of earned/regular leave a year. Employees also benefit from up to 10 days of sick leave and a possible 10 additional days of ‘casual leave’. This is generally more than what most organisations would ideally like to provide.

• Most state laws provide for ‘casual leave’ – the employee can opt not to come to work that day without applying for leave in advance. Many organisations find this disruptive.

• Most state laws restrict women from working at night; if women are to work at night, specific approval must be obtained. This exemption is granted only to limited business sectors (eg, IT sector). Further, the employer must offer door-to-door transport and meet some security-related requirements.

• Most state laws prescribe overtime for any hours worked beyond 48 hours in a week. However, this is seldom observed.

• Indian law regulates and in some cases prohibits the use of contract workers. To engage contract workers, the contractor must hold a licence and the employer must be registered as a ‘principal employer’.

• Non-compete agreements are not enforceable under Indian law, while non-solicitation clauses can be enforced only in limited ways.

• While the ‘work for hire’ principle applies under the Indian copyright regime, it does not apply under the Indian patent regime; employees must thus provide formal assignments.

• Indian laws require employers to maintain a plethora of registers and notices. Compliance with such requirements is difficult and full compliance is rare.

What do you consider unique to those doing business in your country?

Some of the points mentioned above are unique to India. In addition, while Indian employment law is mainly federal in nature, most states have a Shops and Establishments Act. These statutes are similar, but not identical. Further, some states have been permitted to make amendments to central laws, with which are thus applicable in a different manner in such states.

Is there any general advice you would give in the employment area?

India is heavily regulated in the employment arena. Legal assistance should be obtained with regard to employment contracts and employment terms of service. Practical advice should be sought on best practices and common practices, so that policies are HR friendly and legally compliant. Advice should also be obtained on areas where compliance is difficult, so that employers can adopt positions that balance convenience against risk.

Emerging issues/hot topics/proposals for reform Are there any noteworthy proposals for reform in your jurisdiction?

As part of the objective to make it easier to do business in India, the government has proposed that the federal labour laws be revised and possibly amalgamated into two or three labour codes. If this is accomplished, the filing requirements will be streamlined. Amendments have also been proposed to some federal laws relating to factories and the use of apprentices. There has been no progress taking these initiatives forward and it appears unlikely that the government will do so.

Key amendments to law in recent months include a substantial change to the Maternity Benefit Act 1961 through the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act 2016. Key features of this amendment include:

• an increase in paid time off for eligible female employees from 12 weeks to 26 weeks in case a female employee has fewer than two children. If she has two or more children, she is entitled to 12 weeks’ leave;

• the introduction of the concepts of a 'commissioning mother' and an 'adopting mother', which widens the scope of the law. Such mothers are entitled to 12 weeks’ leave;

• the option to work from home once the paid maternity leave period has ended, based on an agreement with the employer; and

• requiring an establishment with 50 or more employees to set up a crèche facility.

Overall, the amendments are progressive in nature. From an employer’s perspective, there will be greater financial implications due to the increased maternity leave payment and also the benefits to be paid to the new categories of eligible female employees.

In December 2016 the Employee’s State Insurance Act 1948 was amended, increasing the salary or wages threshold for coverage of an employee to Rs21,000 (approximately $309) per month from the previous wage cap of Rs15,000 (approximately $221) per month. The act applies to commercial establishments and provides for social security insurance for employees in case of sickness. The amendment has led to higher employee coverage under the law.

What are the emerging trends in employment law in your jurisdiction?

After decades of the government and courts adopting a somewhat socialist mind set, there has been a shift to a more pragmatic, business-friendly approach. The old approach, which focused on unskilled and daily wage workers, has given way to a focus on India’s growing service industry. There is heightened interest in rewriting the employment laws to make them more business friendly. India’s newest employment law on the prevention of sexual harassment is also leading to an increased number of sexual harassment complaints and additional processes to be followed.

Another important aspect is the move towards e-governance in the labour law sector. A new web portal launched by the government provides users with a unique labour identification number, facilitating online registration, the filing of self-certified, simplified and single online returns for specific federal laws, and a transparent labour inspection scheme on risk-based criteria. Some concessions have also been provided for start ups in terms of employment law compliances.

The employment relationship

Country specific laws What laws and regulations govern the employment relationship?

Some states require that the employer prepare an appointment order for new hires, although this is seldom observed. There are no direct laws dealing with probation on a general basis in India, which is, however, a common practice. The (federal) Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act1946 (which is applicable to workmen), provides for a probationary period of up to three months. Certain states have built in the probation concept indirectly into their local laws, which ranges from three to six months. Ideally, a probation period should not exceed 240 days, as several statutory social welfare laws apply to employees who have worked for such period. The Industrial Disputes Act 1947 (applicable to workmen), prescribes that if certain terms of service change, notice must be given to the employee. It also prescribes requirements for termination for convenience, including notice and compensation.

Who do these cover, including categories of worker?

There are essentially two types of employer and two types of employee. Employers are either:

• ‘establishments’ – a term which encompasses all employers; or

• ‘factories’ – a term which typically encompasses manufacturing units. Mines are sometimes covered along with factories.

Employees are either:

• ‘employees’ – a term which covers all employees in any kind of role; or

• ‘workmen’ (as defined in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947) – that is, employees whose primary role is not supervisory, managerial or administrative.

In addition, certain state laws may exclude senior management employees from their scope of application.

Misclassification Are there specific rules regarding employee/contractor classification?

Indian law regulates and in some cases prohibits the use of contract workers. To engage contract workers, the contractor must hold a licence and the employer must be registered as a ‘principal employer’.

Contracts Must an employment contract be in writing?

Except in states which require an appointment order, Indian law does not explicitly require that an employment contract be in writing, although this is the typical practice followed by most employers.

Are any terms implied into employment contracts?

Certain legal terms are implied in the employment contract. A duty of care, a right to privacy and a duty to maintain confidentiality are implied in the employment contract.

Are mandatory arbitration/dispute resolution agreements enforceable?

Yes.

How can employers make changes to existing employment agreements?

Under Indian contract law, a contract requires the consent of both parties. Thus, the employer cannot unilaterally make changes to the employment agreement. Typically, compensation terms are set out in an annex to the agreement, which should provide that these will be subject to change from time to time. Standard terms of employment – such as working hours, vacation, benefits, security procedures and disciplinary procedures – are normally set out in the employment terms of service, rather than in the employment contract. The employment contract should state that these terms of service apply to the employee and will be subject to change from time to time.

An employer cannot change specified service conditions (eg, compensation, grade classification and customary concessions) for ‘workmen’ (as defined in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947) without providing 21 days’ prior statutory notice and notice to the labour authorities. This should be considered when implementing changes to an employment agreement.

Foreign workers Is a distinction drawn between local and foreign workers?

A significant difference between local and foreign employees is evident in the law on provident funds, which is a type of pension. The threshold to qualify, the manner of deduction and the benefits are different for foreign employee, and differ further depending on whether the country of origin has a social service agreement with India. There are no other substantive distinctions between local and foreign employees.

Recruitment

Advertising What are the requirements relating to advertising positions?

Under the Employment Exchange (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959, if the state so requires, a private sector establishment with 25 or more employees must notify vacancies to specific employment exchanges. However, this is seldom observed.

Background checks

What can employers do with regard to background checks and inquiries in relation to the following:

(a) Criminal records?

While it is possible to conduct criminal background checks, this is extremely difficult in practice because criminal records are not digitised and are not consolidated nationwide. Accordingly, where a criminal background check must be carried out, this is typically done at the police station with jurisdiction over the employee’s current place of residence or anywhere that he or she has lived for a reasonable period.

(b) Medical history?

Employees’ medical histories cannot be accessed easily, since these are not digitised and there is no repository of medical records. Employee consent is required to disclose medical records to the employer. However, some employers require employees to undergo medical checks and have the diagnostic centre send the report directly to the employer. Subject to certain specific restrictions (eg, pre-employment testing for HIV is not permitted), there is no prohibition against this practice under Indian law.

(c) Drug screening?

Indian law does not prohibit drug screening.

(d) Credit checks?

An individual is entitled to obtain information on his or her credit rating. The employer can also access this information, with the employee’s permission and on providing necessary proof of identity. Access to credit rating information is more common in banks and financial institutions.

(e) Immigration status?

Indian law does not specifically require an employer to check the immigration status of a foreigner. Indian law does not prevent the employer from checking whether a foreign employee holds the necessary visa to work in India. If a foreign individual on an employment visa wishes to change employment to another company, he or she must leave India and apply afresh for a visa. The only exception is where the foreigner is changing jobs between a registered holding company and its subsidiaries or vice versa, or between subsidiaries of a registered holding company. In such case the foreigner may not need to leave India, provided that he or she fulfils specific criteria, including obtaining prior government approval for the change in employment.

(f) Social media?

There is no bar against conducting background checks through social media.

(g) Other?

The most common background checks undertaken are of educational qualifications. The employee must consent to this and the employer (or an outsourced provider) will then write to the relevant institution requesting confirmation. The institution may charge a fee for providing this information. Most institutions have a procedure in place in this regard.

Wages and working time

Pay Is there a national minimum wage and, if so, what is it?

There is no national minimum wage. However, the central and state governments can issue notifications on minimum wages in specific industries. The federal government has set the recommended minimum wage to Rs176 per day and advised state governments to implement the same.

Are there restrictions on working hours?

By and large, working up to nine hours a day is permitted, with a weekly limit of 48 to 50 hours. There are laws that restrict women from working at night (between 8:00pm and 6:00am). Some states also have a maximum number of hours of overtime that can be worked.

Hours and overtime What are the requirements for meal and rest breaks?

Most state laws provide for a break of 30 to 60 minutes after four to five hours of work. In practice, it is typical to provide a one-hour lunch break in an eight-hour day.

How should overtime be calculated?

Overtime is usually calculated at twice the rate of normal wages. State law defines what the term ‘wages’ covers; this typically includes basic wages plus normal allowances, but excludes any bonus component.

What exemptions are there from overtime?

There are no exemptions from paying overtime. However, the overtime provisions are seldom observed – generally, companies do not pay overtime when employees stay late to complete their work. It is recommended that employers pay overtime at least when employees are required by the nature of the assignment to work overtime – for example, call centre employees.

Is there a minimum paid holiday entitlement?

Yes. This varies from state to state, but is generally about 15 days. Most states prescribe up to 10 days of sick leave and some states prescribe another entitlement of up to 10 days of casual leave. In addition, most states prescribe about 10 days of public holidays; four to five of these are mandatory national and state holidays, while the remainder are chosen by the employer from a larger list provided by the state.

What are the rules applicable to final pay and deductions from wages?

Final pay must be made within two days of the date of termination where the employee’s services are terminated by the employer. In case of the employee’s resignation, the final pay-out can be made as part of the company’s normal payment cycle.

Deductions are permitted from an employee’s wages, but only for specified reasons (eg, on account of fines, deductions for damage to or loss of goods expressly entrusted to the employee and recovery of loans or advances). Deductions are generally permitted only up to 50% of the employee’s wages.

Kishan Dutt Kalaskar
Advocate, Bangalore
6179 Answers
490 Consultations

You follow your written terms of offer letter don't have to serve other terms which were not agreed by you earlier

Prashant Nayak
Advocate, Mumbai
32479 Answers
200 Consultations

You can write back to the company citing the conditions mentioned in the offer letter and also can say that you are confirmed so far hence the present clause is applicable to you.

You can demand relieving letter accordingly, if they still refuse then you my issue a legal notice to this effect.

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
87120 Answers
2338 Consultations

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