Employees Provident Fund Organisation released important FAQs related to EPF Advance withdrawal process, check the details below :
Any member of EPF Scheme, 1952 with UAN (Universal account number) employed in
any establishment or factory covered under EPF & MP Act, 1952.
That a new sub-para (3) has been inserted in Paragraph 68L of the EPF Scheme, 1952
through GSR No.225(E) published in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary), Part II- Section 3-
sub section (1) on 28.03.2020 to provide for benefit.
It is to provide for non-refundable advance from their EPF account to EPF members,
employed in factory or establishment located in an area, which is declared to be affected by
outbreak of epidemic or pandemic by the Appropriate Govt.
area declared to be affected by COVID-19 pandemic?
Since COVID-19 has been declared a Pandemic by the Appropriate Government for the
entire country and therefore the employees working in establishments and factories across
entire India, who are members of the EPF Scheme, 1952, are eligible.
advance?
No certificate or documents are to be submitted by member or his/her employer for
availing the benefit.
COVID-19 and do I have to refund it?
You can get non-refundable withdrawal to the extent of the basic wages and dearness
allowances for three months or up to 75% of the amount standing to your credit in the EPF
account, whichever is less.
Since withdrawal is non-refundable, there is no requirement to refund the amount.
If the balance in member’s EPF account as on date is Rs.50,000/- and monthly basic
wage and dearness allowance is Rs.15,000/-
75% of balance of Rs.50000/- is Rs.37,500/- & amount of three months wage is Rs.45000/-.
So member is eligible to get Rs.37,500/- the least of two amounts.
Like claim for all other types of advances, the claim for this advance also can be filed
Online if your UAN is validated with Aadhaar and KYC of Bank account and a Mobile number
is seeded with UAN.
On the home page of website- www.epfindia.gov.in, under the TAB “COVID-19” on top
right hand corner, instructions for filing online advance claim is hosted.
The process is also noted below:
a. Login to Member Interface of Unified Portal
(https://unifiedportalmem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface)
b. Go to Online Services>>Claim (Form-31,19,10C & 10D)
c. Enter last 4 digits of your Bank Account and verify
d. Click on “Proceed for Online Claim”
e. Select PF Advance (Form 31) from the drop down
f. Select purpose as “Outbreak of pandemic (COVID-19)” from the drop down
g. Enter amount required and Upload scanned copy of cheque and enter your address
h. Click on “Get Aadhaar OTP”
i. Enter the OTP received on Aadhaar linked mobile.
j. Claim is submitted
Yes, from your mobile phone you can either
i) login to (https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface) and follow
steps a. to j as in Ans to Q9 to file claim OR
ii) Through UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) Mobile
APP Home> EPFO> Employee Centric Services> Raise Claim> Login with your
UAN and OTP received on your mobile number registered with UAN to file claim
COVID-19 pandemic from PF Trust?
The “Terms and conditions of exemption” in Para 27AA of EPF Scheme, 1952, provides
that any amendment to EPF Scheme, 1952, which is more beneficial to the employees
becomes applicable to exempted establishments pending formal amendment of Trust Rules.
So, employee of an exempted establishment can withdraw from his PF account maintained
with the PF Trust of the establishment by making application to the PF Trust
