Government Launches Employees' Enrolment Scheme 2025 to Expand Social Security Coverage of Employees

Ministry of Labour & Employment Government Launches Employees' Enrolment Scheme 2025 to Expand Social Security Coverage of Employees Scheme to be Operational from November 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026 Scheme to Boost Employee Enrolment under Social Security and help Employers Regularize Past Records Posted On: 13 OCT 2025 2:00PM by PIB Delhi The Ministry of Labour and Employment has announced the 'Employees' Enrolment Scheme, 2025' (EES 2025), a significant initiative to bring a large number of workers under the ambit of organized social security through EPFO. The scheme shall be operational from November 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026. This scheme is a continued effort of the Ministry, after a successful similar enrolment scheme conducted in the year 2017 for the enrolment of left-out eligible employees from 2009 to 2016. This scheme is intended to encourage employers, both already registered and those newly coming under the purview of the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, to voluntarily declare and enroll eligible employees. Employers can enroll all existing employees who joined the establishment between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025, and who are alive and employed on the date of the declaration, but were not enrolled in the EPF scheme earlier for any reason whatsoever. In a major relief, the employee's share of provident fund contribution for the past period (from July 1, 2017, to October 31, 2025) shall stand waived, provided it was not deducted from the employee's wages. The employer is only required to pay their own share for such period. Employers availing this scheme shall be liable to pay a nominal Penal Damage of Rs. 100 only as a lump sum, a significant reduction from the standard penalties for non-compliance. All establishments are eligible to participate in the proposed Scheme irrespective of the fact whether any establishment is facing inquiries under section 7A of the Act or under paragraph 26B of the Scheme or under paragraph 8 of the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995. No suo motu compliance action shall be initiated by the EPFO against the employers who avail the benefits of EES, in respect of such employees who have already left the establishment as on the date of declaration. All the employers who get registered under the EES,2025, or declare additional employees under the EES, 2025 shall be eligible to avail the benefits of Pradhan Mantri-Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana, subject to certain terms and conditions under that scheme. The Employer are required to make the declaration through an online facility provided by EPFO, where the employer shall indicate the details of the employees enrolled and link it to the Electronic Challan-cum-Return(Temporary Return Reference Number) through which payment of contributions has been made and pay a lump-sum Penal Damages of one hundred rupees. The government expects this scheme to boost enrolment under the social security cover for employees, and it shall also be crucial for employers to regularize their past records with minimal financial/legal burden and facilitate ease of doing business. ***** Rini Choudhury (Release ID: 2178405)