The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation will give an additional one-month window to rectify applications for higher pension under the joint option in cases where it is not approved by the employer or the information provided is incomplete.
The provision is part of a fresh set of instructions issued by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation for scrutiny and validation of applications for higher pension under the joint option.
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“The application forms/joint option forms, as received will have to be scrutinised for the following: Approval of joint request to contribute to Provident Fund on actual (higher) pay, along with employers’ undertaking to pay administrative charges on higher pay and contribution to PF, contribution to pension fund on actual (higher) pay,” said the EPFO in a circular.
The EPFO has further said that applications will be examined by the field office. In cases, the requirements are complete, the wage details submitted by the employers will be verified. In cases where the field office details and employer’s details match, the dues will be calculated and an order will be passed by the Additional or Regional PF Commissioner for depositing or transferring the dues.
“The cases where there is a mismatch, the same will be informed to the employer and the employee or pensioner. They will be given one month to complete the information,” the EPFO further said.
Similarly, in cases where the submitted application is not approved by the employer, before any rejection, an opportunity will be given to the employer for providing any additional proof or evidence or correct any mistakes or errors. Such opportunity will be for a period of one month and under intimation to the employees or pensioners, the EPFO said.
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In another situation where the submitted information is not complete or seems erroneous or any information in the form needs correction or is not found eligible, the Additional or Regional PF commissioner will seek information from the employers under intimation to the employees within one month. “If complete information is received, the case shall be processed. However, if complete information is not received within one month, the order will be passed on merit,” the EPFO further said.
Following the Supreme Court ruling in November last year, the EPFO had issued the procedure for applying for higher pension under the Employees’ Pension Scheme under the joint option. The due date for applying is May 3. For the purpose, the EPFO has also deployed an online facility for application forms for validation of joint options from employees who retired before September 1, 2014 and joint option forms from employees who were members of the EPS on September 1, 2014.
