Higher pension: EPFO extends deadline to upload wage details till 31 Dec

The Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has extended the timeframe for employers to upload wage and other details of applicant pensioners who have applied for the higher pension option to 31 December, in response to various demands received from employers and employers' associations.

Till 12 July this year, close to 1.8 million pensioners have applied for the higher pension option, of which 5.52 lakh applications for validation of option/joint options are still pending with employers, the social security organisation said in a statement on Friday.

“Many representations have been received from employers and employers' associations wherein requests have been made to extend the time period for uploading wage details of applicant pensioners/members. As of 29 September 2023, 5.52 lakh applications for validation of option/joint options are still pending with employers. Therefore, the request has been considered sympathetically, and the Chairman of the Central Board of Trustees has extended the time for employers to submit wage details until 31 December,” the statement said.

Earlier in February, the EPFO launched an online facility for eligible pensioners/members in compliance with the 4 November 2022 Supreme Court order to opt for the higher pension. The facility was to remain available only until 3 May.

However, in view of representations from employees, the time limit was extended to 26 July to provide a complete four months for eligible pensioners/members to file applications.

“In view of representations received from employers and employers' associations wherein requests were made to extend the time period for uploading wage details of applicant pensioners/members, the employers were also given a further period of three months to submit wage details online, latest by 30 September,” the statement said.