Rajapakse and Others v. Dissanayake, Labour Officer and Another – sllr 1998 volume 1 page 398

In the case between Rajapakse and Others and Dissanayake, Labour Officer and Another, the court addressed the issue of non-payment of full remuneration under the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act, specifically focusing on whether a General Manager is covered by the Act, the sufficiency of oral agreements to alter remuneration terms, and the proper calculation of statutory fines. It was held that clear documentary evidence fixed the employee’s remuneration at Rs. 15,000 per month, and the burden of proof for full payment rested with the employer under section 52(4) of the Act. An oral variation to reduce salary was found unsupported by the record. The court affirmed that the definition of “employee” includes managerial positions such as General Manage