EPFO Extends Final Deadline for Employers to Upload Wage Details for Pending Pension Applications
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has provided a final opportunity for employers to upload wage details for over 3.1 lakh pending Pension on Higher Wages applications. Employers have until January 31, 2025, to complete this task. Additionally, a deadline of January 15, 2025, has been set for submitting responses or updating information in 4.66 lakh cases where clarification is required.
The EPFO’s decision comes after numerous extensions and continued delays in processing applications, despite multiple previous deadlines. According to the EPFO, despite several extensions, including deadlines of September 30, 2023, December 31, 2023, and May 31, 2024, a significant number of pending applications remain unprocessed.
The EPFO noted that numerous representations had been made by employers and employer associations requesting further extensions to submit wage details for pension applicants. In light of these requests, the EPFO has offered one last opportunity for compliance, with a final deadline of January 31, 2025, to upload the required wage details.
This initiative is in compliance with a Supreme Court order dated April 4, 2022, which mandated the provision of pension on higher wages for eligible pensioners. The EPFO had launched the online facility for submitting Applications for Validation of Options/Joint Options for pension on higher wages on February 26, 2023. The initial deadline was set for May 3, 2023, but after receiving several requests from employees and employers, it was extended multiple times.
The EPFO had earlier provided a 15-day window in July 2023 to address any difficulties faced by eligible pensioners/members in submitting applications. By the final deadline of July 11, 2023, a total of 17.49 lakh applications for Validation of Option/Joint Options were received.
The EPFO is hopeful that this final extension will ensure that the pending applications are processed promptly and that eligible pensioners can receive their rightful pension benefits.
