India
From Awareness to Recovered Wages
When work goes unpaid, awareness becomes action. How field-level mediation recovered a worker’s full wages after assault and two months of unpaid labour 28, tile installation worker.
Deepak Shani
Green Garden Colony, Manawar, Dhar District
Western Madhya Pradesh Compact
The challenge
Deepak worked for two months on a combined daily wage of ₹5,700 with a co-worker, but the house owner refused to pay his ₹51,000 in wages. When Deepak tried to collect payment in person, he was physically assaulted.
The intervention
Field Officer Sunita Chauhan visited Deepak’s home to verify the complaint, then counselled the employer directly on his legal obligations and the consequences of continued non-payment, following up until resolution.
The impact
On 20 August 2025, Deepak recovered his full ₹51,000 — ₹45,000 in pending wages plus ₹6,000 for medical expenses — and was connected to the Labour Helpline (1800 120 11211) for future support.
SDG Impacted:
