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The short answer
Minimum wages in Odisha are fixed by the Labour and ESI Department for unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled work and revised every April and October through a dearness allowance (VDA). As reported for the revision from 1 October 2026, the daily rate for unskilled work is ₹478. If you are paid less, or your salary is not paid, you can file a claim under Section 45 of the Code on Wages, 2019 within three years, through the labour office of your district.
Minimum wages in Odisha are the lowest daily or monthly pay an employer may lawfully pay for a class of work, and they apply to permanent, temporary, casual, contract and daily-rated workers alike. This guide explains the current rates, the dates by which salary must be paid, what deductions are allowed, and how to claim unpaid salary or a shortfall in Odisha. For dismissal or retrenchment disputes, see the separate guide on wrongful termination in Odisha.
Which law applies now
The Code on Wages, 2019 came into force on 21 November 2025 along with the other three labour codes. It replaced the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. Check with the labour office whether Odisha's final rules under the Code have been notified. Odisha has continued to issue its half-yearly minimum wage notifications for the listed (scheduled) employments during this transition.
Under the Code, the minimum wage covers every employee, not just those in a listed industry, and there is to be no discrimination in pay on the ground of gender for the same or similar work (Section 3). The Central Government can fix a floor wage (Section 9), below which no State minimum wage may be set.
Minimum wages in Odisha: current rates
Odisha sets basic rates for each skill category and adds a variable dearness allowance (VDA) on 1 April and 1 October each year. The basic rates were last revised from 18 July 2024. The rates reported for the October 2026 revision (Labour Commissioner's notification of 8 October 2026), which apply to most of the listed (scheduled) employments, including shops and commercial establishments, are:
| Category | Basic per day | VDA per day | Total per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unskilled | ₹450 | ₹28 | ₹478 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹500 | ₹28 | ₹528 |
| Skilled | ₹550 | ₹28 | ₹578 |
| Highly skilled | ₹600 | ₹28 | ₹628 |
For a monthly-paid worker, the daily rate is usually multiplied by 26 (for example, about ₹12,428 a month for unskilled work). Piece-rated work and some government-sector employments have separate schedules. Always check the notification for your employment on the Labour Directorate, Odisha notifications page, because the rate depends on the category and the effective date.
Which category you fall in depends on the work you actually do, not just your job title. A dispute about classification (for example, being paid as "unskilled" while doing skilled work) can be raised in the same claim.
When salary must be paid
Section 17 of the Code on Wages sets the time limits:
- Daily wages: at the end of the shift.
- Weekly wages: on the last working day of the week, before the weekly holiday.
- Fortnightly wages: before the end of the second day after the fortnight.
- Monthly salary: before the expiry of the seventh day of the following month.
- On leaving (removal, dismissal, retrenchment or resignation): full wages within two working days.
Deductions the employer can and cannot make
Only deductions authorised by the Code are allowed: for example, fines imposed under the procedure in the Code, deductions for unauthorised absence, recovery of advances or loans, income tax, provident fund and ESI contributions, and amounts ordered by a court. Total deductions in any wage period cannot exceed 50 per cent of the wages (Section 18). Withholding salary to stop you leaving, or keeping it as "security", is not an authorised deduction.
Salary not paid: step-by-step complaint in Odisha
- Collect proof. Appointment letter or ID card, attendance records or photographs of the muster roll, salary slips, bank statements showing past salary credits, WhatsApp or email messages about pay, and your UAN/ESI number if you have one. Note the exact months and amounts unpaid.
- Write to the employer. Ask for payment by a stated date and keep proof of delivery. A formal notice can also be sent; see legal notices in Odisha.
- Approach the labour office. The Labour Directorate has District Labour Officers and Assistant Labour Officers in each district, under Divisional and Joint Labour Commissioners. For Bhubaneswar, this is the labour office for Khordha district; for Cuttack, the Cuttack district office. Ask which officer is notified as the authority under Section 45 and the Inspector-cum-Facilitator for your establishment.
- File the claim. A claim for unpaid wages, a minimum-wage shortfall, unpaid bonus or illegal deductions can be filed by the employee, by a registered trade union of which the employee is a member, or by an Inspector-cum-Facilitator. Several workers of the same employer can claim together.
- Hearing and order. The authority hears both sides and can order payment of the amount due and, in addition, compensation of up to ten times the amount (Section 45(2)). An order can be appealed to the appellate authority provided in the Code.
Time limit
The claim must be filed within three years from the date it arose; a later claim can be admitted if there was sufficient cause for the delay (Section 45(6)). Do not wait: records are easier to prove while they are recent.
Penalties on the employer
Paying less than the amount due is an offence under Section 54: a fine of up to ₹50,000, and for a repeat offence within five years, imprisonment of up to three months, a fine of up to ₹1 lakh, or both. Prosecution needs a complaint by the government or its officer, the employee, a registered trade union or an Inspector-cum-Facilitator, before a Judicial Magistrate First Class.
Other routes
- Managers and higher-paid staff who are not covered by a particular remedy, or who want damages as well, may file a civil suit for recovery; see money recovery suits in Odisha.
- Gratuity and provident fund have their own authorities; see gratuity claims in Odisha and EPF grievances.
- Odisha government employees with salary or arrears disputes follow service rules and, if needed, the Orissa High Court; see service disputes of Odisha government employees.
- If you cannot afford a lawyer, the District Legal Services Authority can help; see free legal aid in Odisha.
Information on employment and recovery matters handled is under civil litigation.
Odia terms used in this guide
| Odia | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ଦରମା | darama | salary |
| ମଜୁରି | majuri | wages |
| ଶ୍ରମିକ | shramika | worker, labourer |
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Odisha in 2026?
As reported for the revision from 1 October 2026, the daily minimum wage is ₹478 for unskilled, ₹528 for semi-skilled, ₹578 for skilled and ₹628 for highly skilled work, including VDA. Confirm the rate for your employment in the latest Labour Directorate notification.
Where do I complain if my salary is not paid in Odisha?
Write to the employer first, then file a claim with the District Labour Officer or the authority notified under Section 45 of the Code on Wages, 2019. In Bhubaneswar that is the labour office for Khordha district.
How long can an employer delay salary?
Monthly salary must be paid before the seventh day of the following month. On resignation, dismissal or retrenchment, full wages must be paid within two working days.
Is there a time limit for an unpaid salary claim?
Yes. A claim under the Code on Wages must be filed within three years of the date it arose. A later claim can be admitted only if the authority accepts that there was sufficient cause for the delay.
Can my employer cut my salary as a penalty?
Only deductions allowed by the Code are lawful, such as authorised fines, absence, advances, tax, PF and ESI. Total deductions in a wage period cannot exceed 50 per cent of the wages.
Do minimum wages apply to contract and daily workers?
Yes. The minimum wage under the Code on Wages applies to every employee, whether permanent, temporary, casual, daily-rated or engaged through a contractor.
Official sources
- Labour Directorate, Odisha: minimum wage notifications
- Code on Wages, 2019 (India Code)
- Ministry of Labour and Employment: labour codes
- Labour Directorate, Odisha: roles of labour officers
- Revision of minimum wages, Odisha, October 2026 (summary)
General information, not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts and documents, and the law and official procedures change. Check the current position with the concerned office, or take advice on your own facts, before acting.