My ex-employer could have cheated me, please help

I recently resigned from my job in an advertising company. For nine years, I had been a member of the company’s gratuity fund. However, when I was leaving the company gave me a cheque which I thought was less than the money I had expected. Is there a way I can find out the exact amount of my savings and what the company ought to have paid me? Marvin

Gratuity is a lump sum monetary reward that your company will pay you at the time of retirement or leaving a job. Naturally, gratuity becomes payable only after you have spent a certain number of years with the company. Most gratuity funds these days are contributory in nature but their computation varies from company to company.
Based on the question you have asked, two scenarios are possible; either your gratuity was taxed or certain conditions were not fully met thus affecting the computation and therefore the final amount.
Unlike pension, gratuity is taxable by the tax body; Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) because it is an income derived from employment and is therefore stipulated in the Income Tax Act.
Unless explicitly stated as being Tax Exempt, all payments resulting from any employment relationship whether such employment is existing, terminated or prospective are taxable in accordance with the Income Tax Act.
If your former employer is not willing to explain the computation then you can approach the City Council Labour Office to intervene.
This entity plays an oversight role and arbitrates disputes between employers and employees.
Your former employer will therefore be compelled to clarify on any computation and resolve any errors or misconstrued information if any.

Solomon Muhiirwa
Human Resource Manager
NTV Uganda
[email protected]