Legal Notice for Unpaid Salary / Wages Dues Format

When to use this notice

Use this notice when an employer has withheld salary, delayed the full and final settlement, or refused wages, gratuity, or reimbursements that are due. It records the demand, sets a deadline, and lays the groundwork for a statutory or civil claim if the employer still does not pay.

Statutory basis

The Payment of Wages Act, 1936 mandates timely payment of wages and provides a mechanism to claim delayed or deducted wages. A workman can recover money due from an employer under Section 33C of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Managerial or executive employees not covered by these Acts may sue for recovery based on breach of the employment contract under the Indian Contract Act, 1872. (The Code on Wages, 2019 consolidates several of these once fully in force.)

Replace every [placeholder] with your own details before use.

[ON THE LETTERHEAD OF THE ADVOCATE]

By Registered Post A/D & Email

Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

To,
[Name of Employer / Company]
[Registered Office Address]
Kind Attn: [HR / Director]

Subject: Legal notice for non-payment of salary/dues of Rs. [Amount].

Sir/Madam,

Under instructions from my client, [Employee Name], [Designation], employed with you from [date] to [date], I serve upon you the following notice:

1. That my client was employed with your organisation and diligently discharged all duties as per the terms of employment.

2. That a sum of Rs. [Amount] towards [salary for months / notice-pay / full and final settlement / reimbursements] remains unpaid despite my client’s repeated requests dated [dates].

3. That your failure to release the said dues is unlawful and in breach of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 and the terms of employment.

I therefore call upon you to pay the outstanding amount of Rs. [Amount] to my client within fifteen (15) days of receipt of this notice, failing which my client shall initiate appropriate proceedings, including a claim under Section 33C of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and/or a civil suit for recovery with interest and costs, at your risk and expense.

[Advocate Name]
[Enrolment No. / Contact]

How to send this legal notice

1. Gather your appointment letter, salary slips, bank statements, and any communication about the dues.
2. Calculate the exact outstanding amount — salary, notice pay, reimbursements, gratuity, or settlement.
3. Draft the notice citing the employment terms and the Payment of Wages Act, with a 15-day deadline.
4. Have it issued on advocate letterhead and addressed to HR and/or a director.
5. Serve it by Registered Post A/D and email, keeping proof of dispatch and delivery.
6. If unpaid, file a claim under Section 33C of the Industrial Disputes Act or a civil recovery suit.

Frequently asked questions