Rejoined My Old Company and Need Help with PF Withdrawal – What Are My Options?

I was working for ABC Company for 4.8 years. Later, after an 8-month gap, I rejoined my previous company, ABC. During this period, I was working with XYZ Company. I neither withdrew nor transferred my PF from ABC. After rejoining, I am in need of money; however, ABC is denying to sign or take the application because I'm not unemployed. They are also saying they would have accepted the application if I were working in a different company. Currently, they have opened a new PF account for me, not linking it to the old one.

Seeking Advice on PF Withdrawal

Please suggest how I can get my PF from ABC. Is there any rule that if I rejoin, I won't get it?

Regards

How to Transfer Your PF to a New Account

Go to Online Transfer Claim Portal and register yourself to submit the claim transfer to the new account. They have to approve it through a digital signature to transfer your old PF amount to the current PF account.

You can send the duly filled Form 19 and 10C for attestation by your employer through registered post. The employer should forward it to PF authorities within 5 days of receipt (Ref clause 72 5(a) of EPF Act.). The employer cannot misappropriate your PF.

If your claims have been rejected, you can raise a grievance through the EPFO portal.

Company's Correct Stand on PF Transfer

The company has taken a correct stand. The rules of PF very clearly state that a person working in a company registered with the PF authorities cannot withdraw money from the account. It is compulsory to transfer the money to the new PF account. The only way the company can sign the form, which has a declaration clearly stating you are no longer working, is by signing a document they know to be false.

You should first, without delay, apply for a transfer to your new account. If you need money for a purpose approved by the PF department, you may be eligible for partial withdrawal. Check with the PF Portal for the same. If not, then it's also good because this money is for use in old age after you retire and not for frivolous expenditure.

@Saswatabanerjee - If what you say is correct, then even if a person leaves one company and joins another, there should not be an option of withdrawal. It only has to be a transfer option because the person is still working in the other company and not unemployed. However, this option is valid, isn't it? So, there are options available. I worked there and resigned after close to 5 years. They are not even letting me have a partial withdrawal because I rejoined, and it will be considered as a new joiner. In both cases, the options are closed to me.

I was working with my previous company, HCL Technologies in Noida, which has a PF trust. I left the company without serving the notice period and joined a new company, which also has a PF trust.

Currently, my new company's PF department has informed me that HCL is not supporting the transfer of my PF account. Can someone please advise me on how I can transfer my previous company's PF to my new PF account?