Important Legal Aspects for Employee and Employer under the payment of gratuity act India

The Provision of Gratuity Act is a contractual reward given to workers who have worked for at least five years on an ongoing basis. Based on the length of his complete employment, which is a lump sum charged to an employee. The gratuity payment is payable to an employee following cessation of employment (either by dismissal, death, retirement, or termination, etc.) on the basis of the calculation of the last drawn salary. It is applicable where ten or more persons are employed or were employed, on any day of the preceding twelve-month

An employee who has worked for no less than five years shall be entitled to gratuity for his retirement or retirement or resignation, or for his death or injury. Where the cessation of the employment of any person is due to death or injury, a pre-requisite of completion of continuous service of five years shall not be required. In the event of an employee's death, the gratuity owed to him shall be paid to his nominee or, in the absence of that appointment, to his heirs.

The gratuity shall be due on termination of employment to an employee after undertaking continuous service for no less than five years. A person shall be said to be in continuous employment for a span of time whether he has been in continuous employment for that period which requires activities that may be disrupted due to sickness, injury, leave, a departure from duty without leave, lay-off, strike or lock-out or termination of employment not due to the negligence of the employee, whether such continuous or interrupted service has been done or not.

Gratuity is calculated at 15 days' wages last drawn by the employee for each completed year of service. The monthly Basic Salary is divided by 26 and multiplied by 15. In computing a completed year of service the period in excess of six months shall be taken as a full year. 

Gratuity = Monthly salary / 26 x 15 days x No. of years of service. 

The maximum amount of gratuity payable under the Act is Rs.20 Lacs.

The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Act, 1987 has prescribed provisions for compulsory insurance for the employer’s liability for payment towards the gratuity under the Act from LIC under the LIC Act,1956, or any other prescribed Insurer.

Each employee who has completed one year of service is required to make a nomination for the purposes of gratuity in case of his death. There can be more than one nominee. (Form F). Nominees may be changed at any time by the employee, by giving written notice to the employer. (Form H). If no nomination has been made, it shall be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased employee.

In the execution of any decree or order of any civil, income, or criminal case, no gratuity due under the Act shall be liable for attachment. However, if the employee has agreed to a deduction as a gratuity from the balance owed, the amount would be restored.