PF was deducted from your salary too—but was it actually deposited? Pull out your mobile phone and find out instantly..
If you work in the private sector, a portion of your salary is likely deducted every month as a contribution to your Provident Fund (PF). This amount typically constitutes 12 percent of your Basic Salary, and Dearness Allowance (DA), and an equal amount is contributed to your PF account by your employer. It is the company's responsibility to deposit this sum into your account with the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) within the stipulated timeframe. A recent case surfaced in Odisha where a company deducted ₹15.14 lakh from an employee's salary in the name of PF contributions but failed to deposit it with the EPFO. Checking whether your company is depositing your monthly PF contributions or not takes a mere two minutes.
Let us first discuss the aforementioned case, wherein the Odisha High Court has ordered the company to deposit the outstanding PF amount, inclusive of interest. However, the company has since gone bankrupt, making the recovery of the PF dues a challenging task. Consequently, the Court has ordered the company's Director to pay the outstanding PF amount. The Court observed that the failure to deposit PF contributions predates the company's insolvency; therefore, it constitutes a criminal offense, and the recovery of this amount must be effected from the company's Director.
**Deadline for Depositing Contributions**
According to EPFO regulations, the PF contribution for any given month must be deposited on or before the 15th day of the following month. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the filing of a criminal complaint against the company. The regulations further stipulate that if a company fails to deposit PF contributions within the prescribed timeframe, a *suo motu* (automatic) criminal case is initiated against it; filing a separate formal complaint is not required in such instances.
**Check Your PF Balance from the Comfort of Your Home**
The EPFO sends a monthly SMS notification regarding the contribution credited to your account.
If you do not receive this notification, visit the official EPFO website.
Log in to the portal using your Universal Account Number (UAN), password, and the CAPTCHA code.
An OTP (One-Time Password) will be sent to the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar number, which is required to access your PF account.
Once you have selected your account ID, click on the 'Passbook' option. Your passbook provides details regarding your monthly contributions. It displays the employee's contribution, the employer's contribution, and the contribution made to the pension account.
**Check via Missed Call and SMS**
If you prefer not to log in, simply give a missed call to 9966044425 from the mobile number registered with your PF account.
The call will disconnect automatically after ringing twice, and you will receive a message.
This SMS will contain your PF details, such as your ID, previous contribution, and total balance.
Alternatively, you can send an SMS from your registered mobile number to 7738299899.
You will immediately receive a reply message containing details of your previous contributions to the account, including your current balance.
Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.