PF Transfer To New Company From Multiple Previous Companies

Respected senior members of the forum and HR personnel,

I have a specific query regarding PF Transfer. I searched the forum but did not find an answer for this.

I have worked for Company A from 2010 to 2014 and then joined Company B and applied for PF Transfer online. The transfer process completed successfully, so I know how the transfer process works. Both these companies maintained the PF accounts with RPFO.

Now, very recently (a few days back), in 2015, I have joined Company C, and they are maintaining their PF accounts in an internal exempted trust. I haven't yet applied for PF transfer from B to C. I can initiate it after a couple of months. That's not the issue.

The issue is - I am not liking the new job, i.e., Company C, and planning to find some other opportunity and quit soon and move to a potential future employer D.

Now, my concern/query is:

1) If I leave C and join D in the next 2-3 months, before transferring PF from B to C, will I need to transfer PF from B to C first and then from C to D? Or can I transfer PF accounts of both B and C to D together with two separate transfer requests? Will this be an issue.

2) Since Company C is maintained PF Trust, I think they may not help in the transfer from B to C if I leave them before doing so.

3) Is there any difference in the way EPS is transferred from/to the PF account maintained in an exempted trust?

Please help.

Regards,
sd

Dear sd,

Point-wise answers to your queries are as under:

You need not transfer your PF from B to C and then C to D. You can transfer your PF from B & C to D with separate transfer requests.

This question may not arise in light of my answer in Sr. 1 above. But one should not forget that it is the duty of the current employer to initiate the PF transfer, if any, upon an employee joining, within a reasonable time limit. In case an employee leaves the service before initiating the PF transfer, the employer normally does not initiate the transfer.

Transfers between exempted and unexempted establishments are effected through Form 13 only. However, I do not know whether this transfer between exempted and unexempted establishments is done online or not. It came to my reading years back that EPFO will provide Annexure-K online to Private PF trusts.

I disagree with Mr. Korgaonkar K A. I specifically asked my regional PF office, and they categorically clarified that PF should be transferred chain-wise as the service record will be transferred along with it.

Therefore, Mr. SD needs to transfer his PF from B to C and then from C to D.