The Ministry of Labour and Employment has launched the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign 2025 (EEC 2025), a major initiative aimed at expanding the coverage of social security benefits to workers under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). This move reinforces the government’s commitment to ensuring that all eligible employees receive the benefits of organized social security.
Key Features of the Campaign
The EEC 2025 will be operational from November 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026, and is designed to encourage employers to voluntarily declare and enroll all eligible employees who were not previously registered under the EPF scheme. This includes:
-
Employees who joined between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025, and are currently employed and alive on the date of declaration.
-
Both existing and newly registered employers under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
This campaign follows the success of a similar initiative in 2017, which effectively covered left-out employees from 2009 to 2016.
Waiver and Financial Relief for Employers
To promote participation, the government has announced several incentives:
-
The employee’s share of PF contribution for the past period (July 1, 2017 – October 31, 2025) will be waived, provided it was not deducted from wages.
-
Employers are required to pay only their own share of the PF contribution for the relevant period.
-
A nominal penal damage of ₹100 will be charged as a one-time lump sum—significantly lower than the usual penalties for delayed compliance.
Eligibility and Compliance Flexibility
All establishments can participate in the scheme, even if they are currently undergoing proceedings under:
-
Section 7A of the EPF Act
-
Paragraph 26B of the EPF Scheme
-
Paragraph 8 of the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995
Importantly, no suo motu compliance action will be initiated by EPFO against employers who voluntarily avail of this scheme for employees who have already left their establishment as of the declaration date.
Integration with Pradhan Mantri-Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana
Employers registering under EEC 2025 or declaring additional employees will also become eligible for benefits under the Pradhan Mantri-Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), subject to applicable conditions.
Online Declaration and Simplified Process
The EPFO will facilitate online declarations through its digital platform. Employers will be required to:
-
Declare the details of newly enrolled employees.
-
Link them with the Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) using the Temporary Return Reference Number (TRRN).
-
Pay the ₹100 penal damage via the same interface.
Expected Impact
The Employees’ Enrolment Campaign 2025 is expected to substantially increase the number of workers covered under social security, offering them long-term financial protection. Simultaneously, it provides a valuable opportunity for employers to regularize past non-compliance with minimal legal and financial burden, thereby promoting ease of doing business.
The initiative also aligns with the government’s broader vision of inclusive growth and a future-ready workforce protected under India’s robust social security framework.