The first question: are you a "workman"?
Indian labour law draws a sharp line between a "workman" (broadly, employees doing manual, technical, clerical, or supervisory work below a certain pay and authority level) and other employees, chiefly managerial staff. Workmen get significantly stronger statutory protection around termination — including notice and retrenchment compensation requirements — under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, while other employees rely more on their employment contract and general contract law.
What's typically owed on termination
For a workman, retrenchment generally requires one month's notice (or pay in lieu), retrenchment compensation of 15 days' average pay for every completed year of service, and notice to the appropriate government authority for larger establishments. Unpaid wages, earned leave encashment, and gratuity (after five years of continuous service) are due regardless of whether the termination itself was lawful.
Where to raise it first
A complaint typically starts with the local Labour Commissioner's office for conciliation before escalating, if unresolved, to a Labour Court or Industrial Tribunal. Workplace harassment specifically goes through the employer's Internal Committee under the POSH Act rather than this route.
Why acting quickly matters
Several labour claims — including approaching a Labour Court over a dismissal — are subject to specific limitation periods, so raising an unpaid-dues or wrongful-termination issue promptly, rather than waiting, preserves options that can otherwise close.