Employees who were eligible for provident fund benefits but were not enrolled by their employers now have another chance to get covered.
The Employees' Enrolment Campaign (EEC) 2026 allows employers to declare and enrol eligible workers left out of the EPF system between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2026. The campaign will remain open until October 31, 2026.
The scheme is a one-time opportunity for employers to correct past enrolment gaps, according to the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
If you believe you should have been covered under EPF but were never enrolled, the first step is to speak to your employer or HR department.
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You should check whether:
Your establishment was covered by EPF rules.
You worked there between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2026.
You were eligible for EPF coverage but were left out.
You are still working with the establishment.
Your employer has started the enrolment process under EEC 2026.
The EPFO has asked employers to review their old employment and wage records and identify workers who may have been missed.
Who is eligible?
The employee must be alive and must still be working with the same establishment when the employer makes the declaration. This means the scheme is mainly meant to correct the records of existing employees.
It is not a facility for former employees to reopen old PF coverage after leaving a company. The campaign applies to establishments already registered with EPFO as well as establishments coming under EPF provisions for the first time.
What happens to the employee's past PF contribution
If the employee's contribution was not deducted from their salary during the relevant past period, that share will be waived, subject to the conditions of the scheme.
The employer will have to pay the employer's share of contribution, along with applicable interest and administrative charges. A nominal lump-sum penal damage of Rs 100 per establishment is also applicable under the scheme.
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How will enrolment happen?
Employers are required to generate a Universal Account Number (UAN) using face authentication through the UMANG App. The enrolment and contribution payments then have to be completed through the prescribed Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) process.
Employees or members of the public who know about an eligible employee being left outside EPF coverage can report the matter to the concerned EPFO office for verification and action till October 31.
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