Salaries bring relief to Satyam employees

3 Feb 2009,

HYDERABAD: The salaries of Satyam employees finally got credited into their accounts. While many received their salaries on Saturday, associates on projects outside the country got their salaries on Sunday and Monday.

Employees also received a mail on Monday saying that they would even receive their target variable pay. The mail sent out to associates stated that the variable pay would be processed along with the January salary.

However, there was a slight dampener too as employees did not receive allowances they get along with salaries.

Employees who had claimed their medical reimbursement and LTA did not get it. When some of them wrote to the HR to find out whether they would get the money, they were told that the medical, LTA claims would be honoured after three months.

Shift allowance, meant for associates on certain projects that work in the night on US timing, also didn't get credited with the salaries. Associates said that shift allowance varies depending on the seniority of the associate and can be as low as Rs 225 per shift. For some, the shift allowance adds up to as much as Rs 5,000 a month.

Employees said they were relieved after receiving their salaries as it ended a month of uncertainty and stress. ‘‘Asking for money from my parents for monthly expenses would have been embarrassing and I am glad I don't have to do that,'' said a techie, who hails from Delhi.

He added that his parents were as happy to receive this news as they were when he told them two years ago that he had ‘‘made it to Satya