How Can I Secure My PF Money When Leaving a Company Without a PF Account?

I have been working with a small company for almost 1 year. The company deducted the PF component from my monthly salary every time without even having a PF account in the State EPF. The money is still lying with the company in some bank account for all employees, earning a good interest. HR promises that once accounts are opened, the entire amount with interest will be deposited. (Don't know the time.)

I am leaving the company to go abroad for further studies now. How should I go ahead to ask for PF withdrawal?

Note:
1. The company hasn't applied for my PF account yet. (No forms submitted to the EPF Department.)
2. The pay slip does not have any PF number.
3. They are not willing to give me PF as a full and final settlement.

I am really worried that they would gobble up the money once I am out of the country.

Company Size and PF Requirements

What is the size of the company? Are they required by law to have PF?

Employee Status and PF Registration

Are you an exempt employee? Has the company applied yet for PF registration?

Company Size and PF Requirement

What is the size of the company? 50 people, including founders. Are they required by law to have PF? I don't know about this, but they are deducting it anyway from my monthly paycheck.

PF Registration Status

Has the company applied yet for PF registration? They say they have applied but didn't get any response from the concerned government authority. Even if they do get any PF registration in the future, how will they open an account for an employee who has already left the organization?

PF Account Registration and Payment Issues

In general, it takes about three months to get a PF number. This is a problem because once the account is opened, the company has to pay the entire amount of PF, including for those who have left. There is no form or document you have to sign; the company fills all required forms. Now, they can't pay you the money as they would then have to pay for you out of their pocket. You can ask them to show the documents sent for registration along with the stamped acknowledgment as proof that the procedure has been started.

Regards

In general, it takes about three months to get a PF number. So, this is a problem. Once the account gets opened, the company has to pay the entire amount of PF, including those who have left. There is no form or document you have to sign. The company fills all required forms. Now they can't pay you the money as they will then have to pay for you out of their pocket. You can ask them to show the documents sent for registration along with the stamped acknowledgment as proof that the procedure has been started.

Thanks for your response. So, what I get from your reply is that the company cannot pay the PF deducted amount in F&F and will deposit it to EPF only (hopefully in the future after I am long gone from the company and country). I guess in that case, it can only be withdrawn from EPF after two months of leaving the job. Looks like I must forget about this money in the end.

Not really. If you wish to withdraw the money, you can do so. The process is now online and pretty transparent. Of course, you have to wait for the money to be deposited in the PF first. Surely there must be someone in your family who can file the relevant documents for you.