Is a PF Member ID with Same Joining and Exit Date a Red Flag for Future Employers?

Dear Provident Fund experts,

Interpretation of PF Member ID with Same Date of Joining and Exit

What is the interpretation if there is a PF member ID in an employee's service history with the Date of Joining (DOJ) and Date of Exit (DOE) as the same date, and there is no contribution in this PF account? Is it considered invalid/erroneous or valid employment?

Example Scenario

Consider a PF member ID created by an employer whose PF account is maintained with the government EPFO (not a trust). In this case, the PF passbook for all members should be visible online. Suppose there is a member ID where the DOJ is 31-12-2020 and the DOE is also 31-12-2020, and no passbook is generated even after more than 3 months/6 months/forever for this member ID, i.e., there is no contribution.

Future Employer Interpretation

How do future employers interpret this? Is it considered an erroneous entry/invalid entry or valid employment? A PF member ID, once created, cannot be deleted. In some cases where employers create a PF member ID by mistake for a person who did not join, I was advised that the best solution is to update the DOE to the same date as the DOJ and ensure there is no contribution. I have done the same via a joint declaration to the EPFO.

Seeking Consensus

I wanted to know if this interpretation/assumption is widely agreed upon or if any current or future employer will question this service record. Since this was created by mistake, as the person did not join the company, they will have no employment-related documents from that company (relieving letter, payslip, etc.).

In the scenario described, where a PF member ID shows the same Date of Joining (DOJ) and Date of Exit (DOE) with no contributions made, future employers may interpret this as an erroneous entry rather than valid employment. To address this issue, it is advisable to update the Date of Exit to match the Date of Joining and ensure no contributions are made to the account. This can be done through a joint declaration to the EPFO. While the PF member ID cannot be deleted, correcting the dates and ensuring no financial activity has occurred can help mitigate any potential concerns from future employers. It is essential to maintain accurate and valid employment records to avoid any misunderstandings or discrepancies in the future.