Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is a scheme controlled by the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. It is regulated under the umbrella of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). PF registration is applicable for all establishments which employs 20 or more persons, subject to certain circumstances and exemptions even if they engage less than 20 employees. Under EPF scheme, an employee has to pay a certain contribution towards the scheme and an equal contribution is paid by the employer. The employee gets a total amount including self and employer’s contribution with interest, on retirement or resignation.
It is obligatory that employees’ drawing less than Rs 15,000 per month, to become members of the EPF. As per the guidelines in EPF, employee, whose ‘basic pay’ is more than Rs. 15,000 per month, at the time of joining, is not required to make PF contributions. Nevertheless, an employee who is drawing a pay of more than Rs 15,000 can still become a member and make PF contributions, with the consent of the Employer and Assistant PF Commissioner.
The employer before paying the employee salary must deduct the employee’s contribution from his wages. Then the employee portion and employer portion are payable to the EPFO, within 15 days of the close of every month.
PF registration is mandatory for all establishments with 20 or more persons. Some establishments having less than 20 employees would also be required to obtain PF registration. All employees become eligible for a PF right from the commencement of employment and the onus of deduction & payment of PF is with the employer. The 12% rate of PF contribution should be equally divided between the employee and employer. If the establishment houses less than 20 employees, the rate for PF deduction is 10%.
Based on the type of entity seeking PF registration, the list of documents required for PF registration would vary as under:
