The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has issued a fresh appeal to all registered establishments and employers to take advantage of the ongoing Employees’ Enrolment Campaign (EEC) 2026. The campaign offers a one-time regularization window to register eligible employees who remained outside the statutory EPF ambit between April 1, 2009, and March 31, 2026.
The initiative—notified by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on June 29, 2026—commenced on July 1 and will remain operational until October 31, 2026.
Key Provisions & Reliefs Under EEC 2026
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Waiver of Employee’s Share: If the employer had not previously deducted the employee’s share of the EPF contribution from their wages for past service periods, that portion stands fully waived.
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Reduced Penalties: The standard penal damages for late registration are capped at a nominal lump-sum amount of ₹100 per establishment.
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Employer Liability: Employers are only required to remit their own share of statutory contributions, along with applicable administrative charges and interest for the backdated period.
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Eligibility Criteria: The declaration can be filed for any worker engaged between April 1, 2009, and March 31, 2026, provided the employee is alive and actively employed with the establishment on the date of declaration.
Seamless Digital Compliance
To ensure smooth execution, the Ministry has mandated end-to-end digital processing:
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UAN Generation: Universal Account Numbers (UANs) are generated using Face Authentication through the UMANG app.
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Online Remittance: Regularization filings and contribution deposits are processed digitally on the EPFO Employer Portal via Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) linked to a Temporary Return Reference Number (TRRN).
Expanding Social Security
By registering left-out workers, establishments can regularize past compliance gaps without facing severe punitive damages. Enrolled workers immediately become eligible for statutory benefits, including accumulated Provident Fund savings, retirement pension under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), and life cover under the Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) scheme.
The Ministry has called upon state governments, public sector undertakings, and industry bodies to raise awareness and ensure maximum participation before the October 31, 2026 deadline.
