How Will the Revised Dearness Allowance in Tamil Nadu Affect Your Minimum Wages from April 2014?

This is to inform you that the Dearness Allowance (DA) Revision has been revised by the Tamil Nadu Government for the year 2014-15, and the relevant notification is attached for your reference.

The revised DA will be applicable with effect from 1st April 2014. Hence, the Minimum Wages (Basic + DA) Revision also gets revised for all category workers, with effect from 1st April 2014.

We would request you to please refer to 'Sl. No. 50' for the revised Dearness Allowance Payable for Shops & Commercial Establishments.

For your better understanding, the applicable Minimum Wages (Basic + DA) for Shops & Commercial Establishments have been prepared and attached separately as a 'Notice' to display.

Regards,

Dear Pragna, We are a retail business company compliant under the Shops and Establishments Act, having 33 employees. Since March 2012, we have been providing PF for our employees. In the financial years 2012-2013 and February 2013 to 2014, we followed an ad-hoc system for EPF for our employees. However, at the end of the last year, we learned that this was the wrong procedure for EPF calculation.

Providing PF Based on Basic + D.A.

Now, we would like to provide PF based on the exact Basic + D.A. My questions are:

1. If I start providing PF in this manner, will it benefit our firm, or will I face questioning from the EPFO? The PF amount will be reduced compared to the last financial year.

2. Should I upload EPF (for March 2014 paid in April 2014) based on last fiscal year's minimum wages?

Thank you.