Is It Legal to Conduct Police Verification for Long-Term Employees? Let's Discuss!

I am working in the Payroll Department of a firm in South Delhi. We hired an Admin Manager 2 months back, and now he has come up with the idea that we have to conduct police verification of all existing employees. Currently, employees are raising concerns about this issue, stating that they have been working here for 3 or 4 years, questioning why they are being asked to undergo verification now.

Legal Aspects of Police Verification for Employees

Please explain whether it is legal to conduct police verification of all employees who have been with our company for more than 6 months, including those who have been with us for 20 years. While it is understandable for new hires, is it legally permissible for existing employees?

Regards,
Nishu

Dear Nishu,

With reference to your email, PF - Form 11 & ESIC- Form 1 are required for declaration purposes and also for KYC requirements, which necessitate submission of PAN/Aadhar card details. There is no need for a police verification.

Suman Dasgupta
9073073229

U.S. Sharma, Sir, is it legal to conduct police verification of all employees?

Hello Nishu,

Every company has all rights to review its policies at any point in time if required. No employee has the right to question their decision. Hence, it's totally okay to have a verification done for existing employees if the organization demands it.

Regards,
Asna.

Antecedent Certificates for Employees

Many companies are insisting on Antecedent Certificates for employees such as housekeeping, security, and drivers. Even the Police Department legally requires these certificates for such employees. The fees for the antecedent certificate are displayed on the Police Department's website.

Having an Antecedent Certificate is not a negative requirement for all other employees as well. Some companies have started implementing this practice. It should be treated similarly to a Medical Certificate, which is a common procedure in Marine/Shipping Companies, even for administrative and office staff.

Regards,
Nishu

What is the job profile of the company and why is PV required? Think about this fact once.

KYC documents can be asked to get submitted with EPFO and ESIC, where almost every record is found which would be traced under PV (except any police case, if any).

Share the nature of company activities, in brief, and employee roles so that the esteemed members can put their views in a clearer way.

KYC Process for EPFO/ESIC and Employee Concerns

The company is involved in the manufacturing and trading of healthcare products. Employees are engaged in marketing, field jobs, manufacturing products, and handling accounts/admin tasks.

Regarding the KYC process for EPFO/ESIC, the necessary documentation has been completed, and the documents are available in the employees' files. However, the issue lies in the fact that our organization is not very large. Concerns have been raised about the dissemination of personal information and the reluctance of some individuals to provide fingerprints, which are mandatory in the PV form.

If this requirement is legally binding, I am considering issuing a formal notice to emphasize the importance of cooperation in the process.

Regards,
Nishu

Police Verification: Is It Mandatory?

Police verification is not mandatory by law except for a few industries. In your organization, there is no legal requirement stating that a police verification or antecedent certificate is mandatory. However, there is also no law that prohibits obtaining police verification.

Steps to Address Employee Concerns

My suggestion would be to conduct a survey among employees and record their feedback. Present these interview or survey records to your management. As per your post, only your newly recruited Admin Manager has proposed this idea. It is the duty of HR to convey to management the resistance from employees, as you should empathize with your workers.

If management decides to implement this change, you will need to handle the situation by convincing the employees about the necessity of the change. It is normal to encounter resistance from workers when there is a change in organizational policy.

Regards,
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