I am a working journalist in Rohtak and my employer has not paid salary for 3 months, what legal action can I take?
NI Asked by Nisha Bhatt from India
Quick Answer
Working journalists are protected under the Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955, and the Haryana Rent Control Act 1973 rules applicable in your state.
Detailed Legal Analysis
Working journalists are protected under the Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955, and the Haryana Rent Control Act 1973 rules applicable in your state. Non-payment of salary is a violation of the Act and the employer is liable to prosecution and recovery.
You should file a complaint with the Labour Commissioner or the authority notified under the Act in Rohtak. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that the Working Journalists Act provides special protection and its benefits cannot be diluted by the employer.
You are also entitled to gratuity, PF, and retrenchment compensation under the relevant central and state laws. The Wage Board recommendations for journalists, as upheld by the Supreme Court, are binding on newspaper establishments.
Disclaimer: AI-generated for educational purposes only. Does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.