ESIC launches SPREE 2025 to expand social security coverage for workers

The scheme will be active from July 1 to December 31, and provides one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and employees to enrol without facing inspections for past dues

The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has rolled out Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees (SPREE) 2025 to expand its social security coverage, an official statement said.

The corporation approved SPREE 2025 during its 196th meeting in Shimla on June 27 under the chairmanship of Labour & Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

The scheme will be active from July 1 to December 31, 2025 and provides one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and employees including contractual and temporary workers to enrol without facing inspections or demands for past dues.

Employers can register their units and employees digitally through ESIC portal, Shram Suvidha and MCA portal.

Registration will be considered valid from the date declared by the employer. No contribution or benefit will apply for periods prior to registration.

No inspection or demand for past records will be made for the pre-registration period.

The scheme encourages voluntary compliance by removing the fear of retrospective penalties and easing the registration process. Prior to SPREE, non-registration within specified timeframes could result in legal action and a demand for backdated dues.

SPREE 2025 addresses these barriers, aiming to bring left-out establishments and workers into the ESI fold and ensure broader social protection.

By simplifying the registration process and offering immunity from retrospective liabilities, the scheme not only encourages employers to regularize their workforce but also ensures that more workers, especially those in contractual sectors, gain access to essential health and social benefits under the ESI Act.

Originally introduced in 2016, SPREE has facilitated the registration of over 88,000 employers and 1.02 crore employees.