EPFO: Provident Fund is one of the important savings tools for salaried employees, which plays an important role in life after retirement.
By not depositing the PF amount in your account on time, your employer can put your future planning at risk. Therefore, Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) keeps urging employers to deposit EPF dues at the right time to avoid any kind of loss. Under the EPF scheme, both the employer and the employee contribute to EPF. The amount deposited in the EPF account is payable to the employee at the time of retirement or on leaving service.
What if the company makes a mistake?
If the employer defaults in contributing, he will have to pay damages and interest on the amount due as per the rates prescribed by EPFO. At the same time, if the PF amount of an employee has been deducted from the salary, but has not been deposited in his EPF account, then he can lodge a complaint with EPFO. Employers who default in contributions are liable to pay damages under Section 14B and interest under Section 7Q on the amount due.
The first step is to verify whether your employer has deposited your PF contribution or not. For this, you can see the statement of your PF account online through EPFO member portal or by contacting your PF office.
How can I file a complaint? (EPFO Complaint)
Submit a written complaint – You can submit a written complaint to your PF regional office. You will have to make this complaint to the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner. This should include your and the employer’s details, the nature of the complaint and supporting evidence.
You can also lodge a complaint online – The easiest way to lodge a complaint is through the EPFiGMS (EPF i Grievance Management System) portal. You can lodge a complaint by providing your details including your UAN (Universal Account Number), employer’s establishment code and the nature of your complaint.
EPFiGMS
EPFiGMS is a customized portal of the organization, which aims to resolve complaints for the services provided by EPFO. During this, the complaints are sent to the concerned office to which it pertains.
You can also complain through UMANG app – EPFiGMS service is also available on UMANG.
You can lodge a complaint using the UMANG mobile application and select EPFO services.
Once the complaint is registered, the system generates a unique registration number and also generates automatic acknowledgment through SMS and email. If you are not satisfied with the solution provided by EPFO, you can also file a complaint with the Ministry of Labor and Employment.