Struggling with EPF Settlement for a Death Case: How Can We Follow Up Effectively?

Respected Users,

EPF Settlement for Death Case

I have a question related to the EPF settlement for a death case. This concerns a female employee who passed away in July 2019. Her parents cannot follow up with the EPF office as they are from Chhattisgarh, and her daughter's EPF amount can only be settled in Noida, which is very far for them to visit. Therefore, the company has decided to assist them.

In the company, the HR department has submitted all the documents to the EPF office through a courier since they were not providing receipts for the submission of documents. However, it has been a month, and the HR department has not received any response from the EPF office, neither on the authorized email address nor the office address.

Procedure for Follow-Up

Could you kindly advise if there is a procedure to follow up with them via email or by writing a letter? The HR department has already visited the EPF office, but there has been no response from their side.

Please advise.

What is EPF Grievance Website to file EPF Complaint?

If you have a question regarding your PF withdrawal, transfer, update of details, or a complaint against EPF or your employer, you can use the EPF grievance website to lodge a complaint. To lodge the complaint, you must have your EPF UAN number, which has been mandatory since 1 January 2016.

One can lodge a complaint if they are an EPF member, pensioner, or employer. Complaints can be raised against one's employer (company) or the concerned EPFO. There is a timeline of 30 days for resolving the issue, and one can send reminders for resolution of the complaint.

Issues for which one can register complaints regarding EPF:

- Withdrawal of PF
- Form 13 for transfer of PF accumulations
- EPS: the scheme certificate or 10C
- Pension settlement
- Issues related to PF balance
- Payment of insurance benefit or Form 5IF
- If a cheque is returned or misplaced

One can view the status online for the complaints filed. If the complaints are not resolved in the expected time, reminders can be sent. If you are still not getting a satisfactory reply, you may contact the EPFO office. You can also file an RTI if there is no satisfactory answer from EPFO in time. This will allow you to get the status of your EPF within 30 days from the date you file the RTI.

How to file an EPF complaint online at EPF Grievance Website?

Visit http://epfigms.gov.in/ and click on "Register Grievance" to register EPF complaints. Additionally, the right to information (RTI) can be used to galvanize action in such cases. Please send a request to the Regional EPFO Office seeking information on the status. They will be compelled to act. Follow it up with more queries; sooner or later, they will be forced to settle the claim.

Limitations of EPF

There are certain limitations of EPF. It is a fund for employees only, and the employer cannot decide or authorize anybody to claim it. If a nomination is filed by the employee, EPF will consider the nominee's complaints only. The employer has a minimal role in this matter; they can only certify the documents for the nominee. If no nomination is filed or found in EPF records, the nominee can visit EPF in person. EPF will provide a bond draft to be executed and submitted in such cases. It is crucial to handle this process carefully because, in the absence of a proper nomination, death claims are challenging to settle due to the lack of a "dependent."

Therefore, HR can advise the nominee to file a grievance. If additional documents are required, HR or the employer can assist the nominee in submitting them.