Frustrated with Delayed PF Withdrawal: How Can I Get My Ex-Employer to Act?

I worked for an MNC company from 2009 to 2013. I submitted my PF account withdrawal request along with Form 19 and 10C to my previous employer in January 2014. Since then, I have been following up with them for my PF account settlement, but I have not received my PF amount yet. Whenever I contact my employer regarding this, they say it is still under process, working with the EPF office, delay in the EPF office, etc.

In the last six months, I registered twice on the EPF grievance portal to check the PF withdrawal status. However, I received a reply that they didn’t receive any request from my employer regarding my PF account. It has been almost one year now, and I don’t see any progress in this. Kindly suggest how to proceed further.

Thanks & Regards,
Balaji

When addressing the issue of delay with your employer, who is the front-end representative, it is important to communicate directly. Determine the specific reasons for the delay and inquire about the documentation they have submitted. If they provide irrelevant information, consider contacting the relevant EPF office with the necessary data you possess.

Thank you.

Once again, you should go and meet your HR department in person and ask them about the status of your PF withdrawal. If they do not respond favorably, you can submit a written representation to them on the same day, with a copy marked to the PF Inspector in whose jurisdiction your ex-employer company falls. Additionally, provide another copy directly to the concerned RPF for their information. If the issue is not settled despite the above steps after waiting for a reasonable amount of time, you should meet the RPF commissioner directly to resolve the matter. In some organizations, employers do not remit contributions to the PF office, even though they deduct the same from employees' salaries every month.

Regards

Thank you for your suggestion. I have been following up with one of the finance department personnel, but he is not providing a proper reason why my claim request has not been closed yet.

Six months ago, when I tried to check my PF balance on the EPF portal, I couldn't find my account. However, two months ago, I was able to check the balance on the PF portal. Now, it is also not working, and I am unable to check. I am located in Chennai, but my ex-employer's EPF office is in KR Puram, Bangalore. Is there any other way I can reach out to the EPF office?

Thanks & Regards,
Balaji

If you know your PF account and company code number, you don't need to wait for authentication from your previous employer. Simply take another withdrawal form, fill it out, and have it attested by the branch manager of the bank where your account is held. Alternatively, you can get it attested by any Gazetted officer.

After completing these formalities, send the form to the RPFC office where your PF account is maintained, along with a covering letter stating that your employer is unwilling to sign the withdrawal forms. This will prompt the RPFC to dispatch an area inspector to the company, obligating them to authenticate your form. This is the most straightforward step.

You can also submit the form to Chennai, but it may take longer as Chennai RPFC will transfer this form to Bangalore for processing. It is advisable to send the form directly to Bangalore RPFC via Registered Post, addressed to the Regional PF Commissioner. Please be aware that once you dispatch the letter to RPFC, it becomes official and legally binding, obligating them to take necessary action.

All the best.

Can anybody help me? I want to withdraw my PF amount, but as per my knowledge, the company didn't pay PF EMI for the last 10 months. Now that I have left the old company, I want to withdraw. How can this be possible?

Nitin

Nitin,

If PF deduction is shown on your payslip and the company fails to deposit it in the PF office, it becomes a breach of the law. You can complain to the PF Commissioner's office about this problem by providing full details of the company, PF account number/UAN, etc. The PF office will take necessary action.