EPFO enrolment campaign for workers left out of PF coverage: Will they lose interest on past contributions?

Salaried workers who were eligible for provident fund (PF) coverage but remained outside the formal system between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2026, can now be enrolled under a one-time special EPFO campaign.

The Employees’ Enrolment Campaign (EEC) 2026, open until October 31, 2026, allows employers to voluntarily bring eligible employees under the coverage of benefits such as PF, pension and insurance.

However, to avail of the relief, the employee must be alive and still employed with the establishment when the employer makes the declaration.

The campaign provides employers a simplified route to regularise past PF coverage by paying a nominal fee of and meeting other prescribed requirements, instead of facing potential higher costs and consequences later.

Who makes up for the lost PF contributions, interest?

A key relief under the campaign is that the employee’s share of EPF contributions will be waived if it was not deducted from wages at the time. This means employees who received their full salary without PF deductions in earlier years will not have to pay those contributions now.

The employer, however, will have to deposit its PF share from the employee’s declared date of joining, along with applicable interest for the past period, administrative charges, and a lump-sum damage of ₹100.

So, employees who were not covered by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) during the prescribed 17-year window will neither lose the contributions, nor the interest that would have accrued otherwise.

Which employees cannot be declared?

Employees who had already exited the establishment before the date of declaration cannot be declared under the campaign.

EPFO has also clarified that no suo motu compliance action will be initiated against employees who exited the establishment before the declaration, provided the employer submits the prescribed undertaking and meets the conditions.

Salaried employees who believe that they were wrongly left outside EPF coverage should raise the issue with their employer before the campaign closes by the end of this month.

How to register employees under the scheme?

Employers are required to generate a face authentication-based Universal Account Number (UAN) through the UMANG mobile application for every declared employee. Once the registration is done, the statutory contributions must be remitted through the Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) platform.

As part of the process, establishments have also been asked to conduct internal audits of their employment and wage records to identify individuals who qualify under the eligibility criteria.

The fully digital process for registrations and payments seeks to ensure transparency and avoid any hassle. Employers must carry out all formalities through the designated online portal only.

The campaign can also be used by establishments facing certain quasi-judicial proceedings under the earlier EPF law or the Code on Social Security, subject to the prescribed conditions.

However, eligible employees must should note that the relief on their contribution applies only when it was not deducted from their wages. Employers must therefore ensure accurate payroll reconciliation before calculating and depositing the applicable amount under the campaign.