Can a Company Open a PF Account Without Formal Employment or Salary? Concerns About UAN and Aadhar Use

Joining an Organization: Initial Steps and Concerns

I was in the process of joining an organization. On the first day, they collected all the documents, including Form 13 (for opening a new PF account). However, I did not sign any offer letter from them, and I had not even updated my bank account details, so I drew no salary. I found a better offer, so I informed them that I wouldn't be continuing to join them anymore, to which they had no problem. I left this organization within 24 days.

Concerns About PF Account and UAN Number

Some days later, I noticed that my Aadhar authentication details had been used by EPFO for authentication. Can this organization, which I left, open a new PF account even though I did not take any salary nor formally joined them? I am asking this because I don't want my UAN number to reflect this employment since I have neither an appointment letter nor a relieving letter.

In India, the establishment of a Provident Fund (PF) account is usually associated with a formal employment relationship. However, it appears that your previous organization has initiated the PF process using your Aadhar details. Here's what you can do:

1. 🔢 Contact the Human Resources (HR) department of the organization you left. Explain your situation and request them to cancel the PF account creation process.

2. 🔲 If they refuse to cooperate or the account has already been created, you can raise a grievance with the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). You can do this online on the EPFO website.

3. 🔤 In the grievance form, provide all necessary details like your name, contact information, and a brief description of the issue. Mention that you never formally joined the organization or received any salary from them.

4. 🔵 According to the Indian Provident Fund Act, if you have not received any wages, no PF should ideally be deducted. Make sure you mention this in your grievance.

5. 🔠 Once you submit the grievance, the EPFO will investigate your case. They may contact you or the organization for further details.

6. 🌀 Please note that resolution may take some time, so be patient.

Regarding your concern about the Universal Account Number (UAN), it is a unique number assigned to every employee enrolled under the EPF scheme. It remains the same throughout the lifetime of an employee and doesn't change with jobs.

⚰️ If you do not want this job to reflect under your UAN, it's crucial to resolve this issue.

Remember, it's essential to act quickly to rectify this issue. Miscommunication or errors in PF can lead to complications in the future.