Why Does EPFO Keep Asking for the Same Info Across Different Offices? How Should We Handle This?

EPFO Information Request Across Different Offices

We are a telecom industry registered under PF in the Coimbatore PF Office (Tamil Nadu), and we have operations all over India. Rarely, they will ask for challans and remittance details, and according to that, we are providing the necessary data to them and closing the inspections. Now, in the Delhi office, EPFO Enforcement officers have come, and they are asking for remittance and employee salary details, etc.

Centralized PF System and Multiple Requests

Now my question is, PF is centralized, so why is EPFO in Delhi asking for this information when we have already provided all the details to EPFO in Coimbatore? If tomorrow EPFO in Kolkata asks the same, is there any PF Act that mandates this? Do we need to show this information to whichever EPFO office asks for it, wherever we have operations?

We operate on a PAN India basis, so if all the states' EPFOs keep asking for this information every time, why does EPFO claim to be centralized? Can you suggest what I should do?

Regards,
D. Chithambararaj

Centralized Salary Processing and PF Remittances

Salary processing, PF remittances, and allied activities such as filing returns shall be centralized. However, since your operations are decentralized, you are expected to maintain separate records of wages paid and deductions made from the salaries at each controlling office. Considering the practical difficulties involved in maintaining separate registers, the authorities permit soft copies as well. You cannot deny that. Therefore, you can prepare a wage sheet containing the names of employees in the respective area and submit it to the EPFO Enforcement Officer.

It is true that you have already filed these documents in total at the Coimbatore PF office, but can't you take a copy of that or a copy of the statement covering the people employed in the Delhi area?

Future Visits by Enforcement Officers

In the future, when the Calcutta Enforcement Officer visits, he will also request the same information, namely a statement showing the employees employed in the Calcutta Office and their contributions towards PF. For that as well, you can submit the records as mentioned above, i.e., a printout of the returns sent to the Coimbatore PF Office highlighting the employees in the Calcutta Office.

Regards,
Madhu.T.K

If you are maintaining the records regarding remittance of EPF dues and returns, etc., in respect of your branch office in Delhi at Coimbatore, then you could have furnished the same to the Enforcement Officer for his satisfaction that the unit is in compliance with the EPF regulations for the Delhi branch office. As a form of evidence, you can also show a copy of the inspection book maintained under the EPF & Miscellaneous Provisions Act in Coimbatore to demonstrate that the records are being verified by EPFO authorities in the Coimbatore area for the Delhi Branch Office of your establishment.

Similar verifications can be conducted by local authorities for the areas where the branch offices are located. Therefore, in my opinion, it would be advisable for your establishment to keep copies of such compliance records at the respective branch offices themselves. This way, if local authorities request this information, your staff will be able to provide the necessary details promptly.

While it is true that your establishment may be ensuring compliance in one location in Coimbatore (as reported by you) for all branch offices spread across different states/regions, it is still important to be prepared to produce and verify records if local authorities require it at the branch office level to assess compliance status for each branch.

Kind regards

Form 5A Requirements for Branches

Basic details of the Delhi branch and other branches must be displayed in Form 5A. If a separate sub-code has not been taken, then all branch details under the same registration code also have to be mentioned.

Role of the Enforcement Officer

The enforcement officer asks for a copy of Form 5A and the employee count in a specific branch. They take a summary of branch employees and match it with the ECR submitted. This ensures that the establishment has complied with EPF regulations and is not concealing employee data.

EPF Compliance and Data Collection

EPF can visit every branch and collect data. However, if any errors are found, they will report them to Tamil Nadu for compliance. If the head office fails to comply, then only the branch would be subject to proceedings.

Record Maintenance and Department Visits

So, if records are maintained centrally, then the branch must have records for their employees branch-wise, with Form 5A copies available for department visits.