Now Reading: EPFO drive lets employers enrol uncovered workers till Oct 31
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EPFO drive lets employers enrol uncovered workers till Oct 31
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has launched the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign, 2026, giving establishments a one-time opportunity to regularise past records and enrol workers who were not covered under the EPF scheme…
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has launched the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign, 2026, giving establishments a one-time opportunity to regularise past records and enrol workers who were not covered under the EPF scheme between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2026. Employers have until October 31, 2026 to take advantage of the drive.
The scheme, effective from June 29, 2026, allows companies to declare and enrol eligible workers who are alive and actively employed on the date of declaration. To ease compliance, the campaign offers specific administrative reliefs for past omissions, including a waiver of the employee's share where it was not deducted earlier.
Employers must generate a face authentication-based Universal Account Number through the UMANG app and remit contributions via the Electronic Challan-cum-Return platform. The fully digital process aims to ensure transparency, and establishments have been asked to conduct internal audits of employment and wage records to identify eligible individuals.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This campaign targets the large informal workforce that lacks formal social security. By covering workers from 2009 to 2026, EPFO is effectively addressing a seventeen-year compliance gap. The key question is how many employers will voluntarily come forward given the past financial liability for contributions. The October 31 deadline will be the first real test of uptake, with the number of new enrolments indicating the scheme's reach.
Source: livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
