Scheme to partially reimburse employers for Maternity Benefits

Ministry of Labour & Employment
Scheme to partially reimburse employers for Maternity Benefits

02 JAN 2019

Government is working on an Incentive Scheme wherein seven weeks wages shall be reimbursed to employers who employ women workers and provide the maternity benefit of 26 weeks paid leave, as provided for in the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017.

To enable an entity to avail of the incentive, the women employees working in their entity should be a wage earner of less than Rs.15,000/- per month and a member of Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) for at least one year and not covered by Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

A meeting of Stakeholders' Consultation with representatives of concerned Central Ministries, State Governments, Employers', Employees' etc. was held on 14.11.2018 to discuss the matter. The Scheme was supported by and large with the majority of stakeholders.

The scheme is proposed to be administered after obtaining the approval of the competent authorities. The Incentive is proposed to be funded from the budgetary allocations. Government has not made any allocation for the scheme during the current financial year.

This information was given by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

PIB

Read More

Payroll Reporting in India: An Employment Perspective - Coverage and Sources of data

Payroll Reporting in India: An Employment Perspective - Coverage and Sources of data

Employees' Provident Funds Scheme: September, 2017 to October, 2018
PROVISIONAL ESTIMATES OF SUBSCRIBERS AS PER EPFO RECORDS (IN NUMBERS) 

 Coverage and Sources of data

1. The Employees Provident Fund Scheme (EPF) is a mandatory savings scheme under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. It is managed under the aegis of Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). It covers every establishment in which 20 or more persons are employed (and certain other establishments which may be notified by the Central Government even if they employ less than 20 persons each), subject to certain conditions and exemptions as provided for in the Act. The pay ceiling is Rs.15000/- per month. Persons drawing pay above Rs. 15,000 are exempted or can be enrolled with some permission or on voluntary basis. The number of members subscribing to this scheme gives an idea of the level of employment in the formal sector. The data on subscribers-new members, exited members and those subscribers that re-started their subscription is sourced from EPFO. More details are available at www.epfindia.gov.in.

2. The Employees State Insurance Act, 1948 is applicable to non-seasonal, manufacturing establishments (other than a mine subject to the operation of the Mines Act, 1952 (35 of 1952), or a railway running shed) employing 10 or more workers. For health and medical institutions, the threshold limit is 20 or more workers. ESI Scheme for India is an integrated social security scheme tailored to provide socio-economic protection to the workers in the organized sector and their dependents, in contingencies, such as Sickness, Maternity and Death or Disablement due to an employment injury or occupational hazard. The wage ceiling is Rs.21000/- per month. Beneficiaries are termed as Insured Persons (IP) and a new IP number can also arise due to change in employment. Employees may cease to pay contribution due to wage exceeding the statutory ceiling of Rs.21000/- per month or owing to resignation, death, retirement or dismissal. The number of subscribers of this scheme also gives an idea of the level of employment in the formal sector. Data is sourced from Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and the information may have an element of duplication with EPF data and is thus not additive. More details are available at www.esic.in.

3. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PRFRDA)'s National Pension scheme (NPS) is an easily accessible, low cost, tax-efficient, flexible and portable retirement savings account. Under the NPS, the individual contributes to his retirement account and also his employer will co-contribute for the social security/welfare of the individual. NPS is designed on defined contribution basis wherein the subscriber contributes to his account, there is no defined benefit that would be available at the time of exit from the system and the accumulated wealth depends on the contributions made and the income generated from investment of such wealth. Any citizen of India, whether resident or non-resident, individuals who are aged between 18 - 60 years as on the date of submission of his/her application can subscribe to the scheme. From 1st January 2004, the central and the state governments have adopted this scheme for new employees except for armed forces. This was extended to other establishments from 2009 onwards. More details are available at www.pfrda.org.in.

Download the full details from Central Statistics office

Read More

Development of EPFO APP

Development of EPFO APP

Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is developing online claims settlement process by receiving application online. The application will be integrated with Unified Mobile App for New-age Governance (UMANG) App to receive the claims online. However, time frame to rollout the same has not been finalized. EPFO has engaged Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune as its technical consultant for upgradation of its technology.

Necessary hardware by way of the latest technology for servers, storages & Networking equipments have been installed at three data centers in Delhi, Gurugram & Secunderabad.

This information was given by Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

PIB

Read More

EPFO plans to hike minimum pension to Rs.2000

EPFO plans to hike minimum pension to Rs.2000

The Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is considering an option to double the minimum pension amount to Rs.2,000. The financial implications of the move are being measured. There were plans to announce the decision before the strike of central trade unions on September 2. However, sources said, the move might have been held back for a rethink on the financial impact in case of hike in pension.

It started when revised actuarial calculations showed that there was a marginal surplus in the pension fund. EPFO caters to the pension of private sector employees and some PSUs. On the basis of the surplus, it was earlier planned to either increase the pension marginally, taking it to Rs.1,250 or provide a one-time benefit. There was also a pending demand to hike the pension to Rs.3,000 a month. This led to the option of hiking the pension to at least Rs.2,000 a month being considered, said a source. There are around 20 lakh pensioners who get the minimum amount of Rs.1,000 at present.

However, the ministry of finance has to be taken into confidence before initiating such a move, said a source. The gap is filled by MoF even for paying Rs.1,000 as minimum pension. This comes to around Rs.1,000 crore a year which is given on piecemeal basis. Once the pension is hiked, the impact will be more. Though the idea has not been entirely shelved, a rethink is under way, said a source.

Meanwhile, the Employees Pension Scheme (1995) Coordination Committee, an association of retired employees, has demanded that government should merge the National Pension Scheme (NPS) with EPS. The former is a contributory pension scheme applicable to government employees having joined service after 2004. "The association argues that since returns on NPS are based on returns on investment which are uncertain, EPS should be preferred. This is because EPS at least guarantees a minimum pension," said Prakash Pathak, general secretary of the coordination committee.

The coordination committee has been lobbying for implementation of the Bhagatsingh Koshiari Committee recommendations which call for taking the minimum pension to Rs.3,000 and also adding dearness allowance to it. The committee's recommendations also call for adding a health benefit, said Pathak.
The recommendations have been lying with the government since 2013 for want of a decision. Our association has been taking up the issue at various fora, said Pathak.

Source : TOI

Read More

Filling up the post of Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer in EPFO

Filling up the post of Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer in EPFO – reg.

MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT
SHRAM SHAKTI BHAVAN
NEW DELHI – 110001

D.O. No. A-12026/05/2015-SS.1

February 17, 2016

Dear Secretary,

Employees Provident Fund Organization is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Labour & Employment. The financial/ accounts matter in the EPFO are looked after by FA & CAO which is in PB-4, GP: Rs. 10,000/-. The post of FA & CAO has fallen vacant on 29.12.2015 due to repatriation of its incumbent and is required to be filled on deputation/ short term contract basis. This Ministry has already issued a vacancy circular (copy enclosed) for the said post and the same has also been published in Employment News dated 6-12 February, 2016. The said vacancy circular is also available on the official website of this Ministry.

2. I shall be grateful, if you could kindly arrange to circulate the same amongst all eligible officers of organized Group ‘A’ service under your Ministry/Department and forward applications of interested & eligible officers to this Ministry before last date to receive such application .i.e. 21.03.2016.

With regards,
Yours sincerely,
(Shankar Aggarwal)

Encl: As above.
Shri Sanjay Kothari
Secretary,
Department of Personnel & Training,
Ministry of Personnel, Pub. Grievances & Pensions,
North Block,
New Delhi.

**********

F.No. A-12026/05/2015 – SS.I

Government of India/Bharat Sarkar
Ministry of Labour & Employment/Shram Aur Rozgar Mantralaya

New Delhi, dated the 13 January 2016

VACANCY CIRCULAR

Subject: Application for the post of Financial Adviser & Chief Accounts Officer (PB-4- Rs-37400-67000 Plus grade Pay Rs.10,000) on deputation/short term contract basis in Employees’ Provident Fund Organization — reg.

Applications are invited for filling up of one post of Financial Adviser & Chief Accounts Officer(PB-4- Rs-37400-67000 plus grade Pay Rs.10,000) to be filled on deputation/short term contract basis in Employees’ Provident Fund Organization under the administrative control of Ministry of Labour & Employment, New Delhi.

2. Following officers are eligible to apply for the post:-

Officers of the Central Government (including Officers of the Organized Accounts Services)/Officers of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization failing which Officers of statutory or autonomous Organization who are :-

(a)(i) holding analogous post on regular basis; or
(ii) with 6 years’ regular service in the pay band of Rs.37,400-67,000 or equivalent in the grade pay of Rs.8700/-. and

(b) possessing minimum 5 years experience in budget, establishment and accounts

1. Period of deputationlcontract including period of deputation in another ex-cadre post held immediately preceding this appointment in the same or some other organization/department of the Central Government shall not exceed 5 years.

2, The maximum age limit for appointment by deputation shall be not exceeding :56 yearas off the closing date of receipt of application.

3. The Pay and allowance of the selected officer shall be regulated as per Deptt of Pers. & Trang OM No- 6/8/2009-Estt(Pay-II) dated 17.6.2010, as amended from time to time. Officers who volunteer for the post will not be permitted to withdraw their names subsequently.

4. It is requested that applications (in triplicate), in the prescribed profonna (Annexure) in respect of eligible and interested officers may be forwarded to Shri Manish Kumar Gupta, Joint Secretary, M/o Labour & Employment, Room No-106, Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi through concerned Cadre Controlling Authorities along with following documents so as to reach within 45 days from the date of publication of this vacancy circular:-

a) Attested copies of the ACRs/APARs for last 5 years i.e. 2011-12 to 2015-16
b) Vigilance clearance
c) No penalty certificate
d) Integrity Certificate

5. Application received after prescribed date or without requisite documents will not be considered. Details of the Organization can be accessed at www.epfindia.com.

(Ajay Malik)
Under Secy to the Govt of India

Encl As above.

Original Circular

Read More