EPFO asks field staff to enrol their outsourced workers

NEW DELHI: In a bid to put its own house in order, Retirement fund body EPFO has asked its field offices to enrol workers engaged by them through outsourced agencies as members and provide them Universal Account Number (UAN).

"..all field offices must ensure that each worker engaged through outsourced agencies is not only enrolled as PF member but also allotted UAN by KYC details," an office order said.

"It is observed that field offices of Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) too are engaging workers through outside agencies/contracts..such agencies should normally be covered under the (EPF) Act," it added.

EPFO headquarters have asked its over 120 field formations to submit a compliance report in this regard by September 15.

According to information available, there are large number of government bodies, departments and ministries which outsource work to agencies or engage workers through contracts.

"Since the workers engaged through outsourced agencies or contracts are not covered under the state or central social security schemes, they must be made members of the EPFO for the purpose," a senior EPFO official said.

Another EPFO office order issued last month says that according to a study carried by the Labour Ministry, a number of workers deployed by various government departments, undertakings and autonomous bodies on outsourcing basis are not getting the benefits of provident fund, pension and insurance.

EPFO recently notified the higher monthly wage ceiling of Rs 15,000 for becoming member of its social security schemes, which is effective from September 1, and asked its field offices to enhance the workers coverage by 30 per cent.

In order to increase the coverage by 30 per cent, EPFO has asked the staff to especially focus on building and construction industry, placement agencies, mining, public and private sector banks, hospitals, restaurants, schools, workshops, franchises and service centres of branded electronic goods and DTH services providers.

EPFO has asked its officers to investigate whether the security personnel deployed by the banks in their ATMs throughout the country were getting provident fund and other benefits.