Dear Suman,
First, you have to decide whether your unit is in the implemented area or not. If your unit is in the implemented area, immediately apply for ESI by submitting the Form-01 form (which can be downloaded from the site
ESIC - Headquarters' Office) along with necessary documentary evidence, wherever it is needed, to the Regional Office concerned. Then, you will be allotted a 17-digit ESI Code No. for your unit, which is a permanent number for your unit.
Once your unit gets the ESI Code No., the next duty is to register your employees:
You have to submit the Declaration Forms for all your employees who are drawing 15000= or less than 15000=, whether they are temporary, casual, permanent, daily, etc., to the concerned Branch Office. The Branch Office will allot the Insurance Nos. to all the employees and provide a temporary card, which will be valid for 3 months from the date of their appointment. In case they cross 3 months, you can request a permanent card. Every month, from the data of attendance and wages registers, you have to maintain a Register of employees under the ESI Act, i.e., Form-6. Based on it, you have to pay the ESI Contribution Every month before the 21st of the following month. Every 6 months, you have to submit Half-yearly returns, Form-5, to the concerned Branch Office. Every year, you have to submit annual returns on or before the 31st of January in Form-01(A) form.
Under the ESI Act, you have to maintain the following records:
i. Attendance Register; ii. Wages Register; iii. Form-6 Register; iv. Accident Register; v. Inspection Book & vi. File containing all your monthly challans & returns submitted.
Apart from the above register, you are bound to produce the following records on demand to the Insurance Inspector during his inspection: All books of accounts, such as P&L Account, Balance Sheet and its annexures; Cash Book/Bank Book and all related Bills & Vouchers, etc. Further, if you have any immediate employers, such as contractors, security personnel, you have to confirm their compliance under ESI before settling their monthly bill, as the Principal employer, you will be held responsible for their default.
I think you are getting bored of such a lengthy post; hence, I am stopping for now.
In case of any doubt, don't hesitate to call me at 09443434313 or email me at vsyamprasad@yahoo/gmail.com.
If you are knowledgeable about ESI, then your employees and their families will benefit from such a wonderful social security scheme.
All the best.
Yours...