How Can I Resolve My UAN Exit Date Issue After Leaving My Job Abruptly Due to a Family Emergency?

Hi Team, please help me. In my first company, I worked for over a year. However, due to my brother's serious accident, I left immediately without serving a notice period. I absconded, and he underwent surgery. Sadly, after one month, he passed away. Currently, I am working in SAP. However, my UAN reflects my first company. The exit date is not mentioned due to the abrupt departure.

Kindly assist me in resolving this issue of absconding and updating the UAN exit date.

Thank you.

Notice Period and Contractual Obligations

What was the notice period mentioned in your written contract? If it was not specified, it is not mandatory to serve any notice.

As this is a contractual matter, it will depend on what the terms were. Assuming you have specified notice in the contract, the company also has the right to initiate legal action against you for breach of contract or damages, so tread carefully and strategically. For PF issues, it is advisable to visit the office and ask them to contact the employer to show your exit.

Future Reference

For future reference, it is always advisable to inform the company. Even in an emergency, just send an email explaining the urgency.

Resolving UAN Exit Date Issues After Absconding

Failure to comply with the procedure is your fault and must be rectified by your previous employer only. If the reasons stated here are genuine, you may have a chance to meet with HR and complete the formalities. In the worst situation, they may ask you to submit a formal resignation letter and obtain the relieving and 'exit' entry in your UAN format. They may also insist that you deposit one or three months' salary, as the case may be, in lieu of the notice period worked. An apology letter, along with copies of your brother's medical records and his death certificate, may be required to support your 'absconding'. Most likely, they will inquire about your current status. Answer them tactfully, in a smart and convincing manner, to resolve the issue so that your UAN is properly updated, allowing you to continue operating your existing membership with an opening balance carried forward from your previous employer.

@kumar.s

Legal implications of not having an exit date

What exactly are the legal and other implications if the previous company does not put an exit date at all, and the new company starts contributing to PF and gives their own joining date?

Impact beyond BVG queries

Apart from BVG queries, will it have any real effect?

Actually, not putting an exit date is unwise because it allows the employee to make claims against the company and say they are still employed there (not relevant in this particular case, but in general), which can cause a lot of problems for the company under numerous laws.

Would appreciate your input and feedback on this.

Hi, Leaving an organization without informing the reporting authority or HR is a serious misconduct.

Have you updated about your brother's serious accident and subsequent surgery and requested for leave?

Obviously, when you vanish without any information, the employer will proceed with disciplinary action and will close the file at the end of disciplinary proceedings only. Have you received any warning or termination letter from your ex-employer? There are chances your HR is waiting for the final termination letter to be served, and after that, they might mark the exit date, the date on which they are closing your file officially.

Importance of exit date

An employer cannot hold marking the exit for a very long time. The exit date is very important, and without an exit date, you will not be able to transfer the PF amount to the new employer's office or withdraw the same. You can check with your ex-employer regarding this. If they are purposely holding this, you have the option of marking the exit date by yourself through your UAN login. But I think some waiting time is there to do this.

Aim for an amicable relieving process

Wherever possible, try to contact your ex-employer and aim for an amicable relieving process, even by making some payment in lieu of the notice period. Otherwise, in the case of future employment verification, negative feedback will be provided by your ex-employer, which will affect your career.

Hi Team,

Please provide a mail format for writing an email to HR regarding the following:

"I absconded without serving notice due to my brother's serious accident."

Please assist me in resolving this absconding issue and provide information on the UAN exit date.

Dear Sri. Saswata Banerjee, we have not faced a situation like this so far. Having said that, in cases of employees leaving us, we have acted reasonably by promptly entering the 'exit' entry (with a view not to waste our time tracing those who are leaving us).

A few months ago, one employee did not turn up for duty, was absent without applying for leave, and did not provide any prior intimation. We marked him absent for a month, and in the following month, we removed his name from the muster roll (Form-T) and marked 'exit' in his PF account.

Sunil's Case: Exploring Options

In Sunil's case (supra), it appears his first employer has not yet marked the 'exit' entry, thus indirectly pushing him to explore other options. In these circumstances, if possible, Sunil may consider opening a new account with the current employer and subsequently transfer the previous account balance to the new one, deactivating the old UAN using the available methods.

Managing Two UANs and EPF Accounts

This scenario could lead to a situation where an employee has two UAN and EPF accounts simultaneously, which is possible but not allowed. Having two active UANs goes against the regulations. To resolve the issue of two EPF accounts, it's essential to maintain only one active UAN number. The recommended approach is to deactivate the old UAN and transfer the EPF account to the new UAN, ensuring all previous EPF accounts are linked to the current one.

Steps to Mark Exit Date Without Employer's Assistance

If an employer fails to mark an exit in EPF, one may wonder how to enter the exit date without the employer's involvement. The steps to mark the exit date without the employer's assistance are as follows:

1. Go to the EPFO member portal.
2. Log in with the UAN and password.
3. Click on the "mark exit" option under the "manage" tab.
4. Select the date of exit and confirm it.
5. It is crucial to choose the exit date carefully, as once submitted, the updated date cannot be edited.

While the process sounds straightforward, executing it can be challenging. The main obstacle is that you may not have the EPFO member ID and password details required to log in to the EPFO portal, information typically known only to your HR or accounts staff responsible for EPF entries. Without the intervention of your previous employer, marking the 'exit' entry becomes unfeasible. For further insights, I recommend reviewing the discussion on the same issue on citeHR using the following link: https://www.citehr.com/632468-exit-d...s-company.html.

For the benefit of those seeking more information, I have attached a few notes gathered from various sources, including FAQs that may aid in better understanding this topic.

Hi Sunil, I would suggest you meet with HR personally to obtain further details. Merely writing a letter, I think, is not going to solve the issue now. This is only a suggestion, and I cannot predict the consequences and results. The practical approach I'm suggesting is up to you and how you choose to proceed. Also, don't use the word 'absconding'; instead, use 'absent' without intimation or approved leave. A 'continuous absence without notice' calls for 'dismissal or termination' from service, which is likely imminent. What happens next, only HR will be able to tell you.

Mr. Kumar,

You have suggested in your post, "If possible, Sunil may try asking the present employer to open a new account and later transfer the previous account balance to the new account. Subsequently, deactivate the old UAN using the appropriate methods."

Once a UAN is allotted by one employer, it should be used with subsequent employers. Duplication of UAN is not possible nowadays. In the initial days, there were instances where duplicate UANs were created by new employers. However, now, even if a new employer attempts to assign a new UAN, the portal does not accept it and displays an error.