PF subscribers alert! EPFO issues new guidelines for name, age and other corrections – Know what you can correct, what you can't

New Delhi: The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has issued fresh guidelines on correction in member profile for errors in name, father/husband name, DOB and gender. 

However, EPFO said that it has been observed that complete name and profile change has been made in certain cases leading to fraudulent withdrawals. 

"A complete change in the member profile cannot be allowed in the normal course through online or offline process except in extreme situations where it has been proven that the member name has been changed following the due process prescribed in law, or there has been an erroneous upload of member data by the employer, on production of documentary evidence by the member and employer and after due verification," EPFO said.

Accordingly, EPFO has issued guidelines on Minor and Major corrections.

Minor correction: A correction will be considered Minor on the following issues

• If the correction is related to expanding the name/surname from abbreviation to full name, or vice versa, without changing the first letter if after the correction, the pronunciation of the name doesn't change. 
  
• If the father name or husband name is inserted as middle name in AADHAR.
  
• If it involves only change in surname of female employees after marriage. 

Major correction: A correction will be considered Major on the following issues

All those cases which do not fall in the category of "Minor correction", or any correction leading to complete change in name/father name, or where correction in more than two fields are involved, EPFO said.

No Major corrections without document proof

Major corrections as described above shall not be done in the online process without obtaining proper documentary proof, including explanation from the employer, and verification of the genuineness of the case.

EPFO Guidelines for Closed establishments

In case of closed establishment where the employer or authorizedsignatory is not traceable/available, the Authority to attest the joint declaration shall be one among the authorities and the correction shall be made exercising due care and caution and only after due verification of the documentary evidence produced in proof of identity, employment etc.

In case the joint declaration is signed by employer the employer should be asked to produce original records such as employee register, increment orders, pay slip, appointment order, any application made to EPF office to correct wrong name in form-23 (PF slip), etc., on the basis of which employer is certifying the change request.

In case of closed establishment, the applicant may be asked to produce evidence such as appointment letter, pay slip, increment order, PF-slip and any application to correct name.