Lower rate of EPF subscription 10% with EPFO notified placing higher liquidity in the hands of employees and employers during COVID -19 pandemic.
Government Sector, their PSEs and establishment whose subscription is being borne by Union Government under PMGKY continue to have subscription at old rates of 12%.
Lower rates to be applicable for salary months of May, June and July 2020.
Various measures have been announced from time to time to provide relief to the employers and employees of the establishments covered under the EPF & MP Act, 1952 distressed by Lockdown to prevent spread of COVID-19 and other disruptions due to Pandemic.
The reduction in statutory rate of contributions from 12% to 10% for wage months May, 2020, June, 2020 and July, 2020 for all class of establishments covered under the EPF & MP Act, 1952 announced on 13.05.2020 by the Central Govt. as part of Atma-Nirbhar Bharat package has been notified vide SO 1513 (E) dated 18.05.2020 published in the Gazette of India. The notification is available under the TAB- COVID-19 on the home page of EPFO website.
The above reduction of rate of contribution is not applicable to establishments like Central and State Public Sector enterprises or any other establishment owned or controlled by or under control of the Central Govt. or State Govt. These establishments shall continue to contribute 12% of basic wages and dearness allowances.
The reduced rate is also not applicable for PMGKY beneficiaries, since the entire employees EPF contributions (12% of wages) and employers’ EPF & EPS contribution (12% of wages), totaling 24% of the monthly wages is being contributed by the Central Govt.
Reduction in rate of EPF contributions from 12% to 10% of basic wages and Dearness allowances is intended to benefit both 4.3 Crore employees/members and employers of 6.5 lakhs establishments to tide over the immediate liquidity crisis to some extent.
As a result of reduction in statutory rate of contributions from 12% to 10%, the employee shall have a higher take home pay due to reduction in deduction from his pay on account of EPF contributions and employer shall also have his liability reduced by 2% of wages of his employees. If Rs.10000/- is monthly EPF wages, only Rs.1000/- instead of Rs.1200/- is deducted from employee’s wages and employer pays Rs.1000/- instead of Rs.1200/- towards EPF contributions.
In Cost to Company (CTC) model, if Rs.10000/- is monthly EPF wages, in CTC Model the employee gets Rs.200/- more directly from employer as employer’s EPF/EPS contribution is reduced and Rs.200/- less is deducted from his/her wages.
Under the EPF Scheme, 1952 any member has the option to contribute at a rate higher than statutory rate (10%) and employer can restrict his contributions 10% (statutory rate) in respect of such employee
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MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 18th May, 2020
S.O. 1513(E).—Whereas due to Covid-19 pandemic, lockdown Is in force across the country and the Central Government after making necessary inquiry is satisfied that to provide liquidity in the hands of employers and employees, there arises a need to amend the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Labour published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 3, sub-section(ii) vide number S.O. 320(E), dated 9th April, 1997;
Therefore, in exercise of powers conferred by first proviso to section 6 of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (19 of 1952), the Central Government, after making aforesaid inquiry, hereby makes the following amendments in the said notification number S.O. 320 (E) dated the 9th April, 1997, namely:-
In the said notification, in SCHEDULE II, after clause (iv), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:-
“(v) Any establishment, other than Central Public Sector Enterprises and State Public Sector Enterprises and other establishments owned by, or under the control of the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be, in respect of wages payable by it for the months of May, June and July, 2020”.
Provided that this clause shall not be applicable to the establishments eligible for relief under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana guidelines issued by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization vide its Office Memorandum No.C-1/Misc./2020-21/Vol.II/Pt. dated 9th April, 2020 ”.
[F. No. S-35019/01/2020-SS-II)
R. K. GUPTA, Jt. Secy.
Note : The principal notification was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 3, sub-section (ii) vide S.O. 320 (E), dated 9th April, 1997.
Source :-
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1625152
http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/219425.pdf
May June pf monthly to