EPFO

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) issued a fresh circular on 20.02.2023 regarding the eligible employees for a higher pension. The EPFO had earlier issued a circular in December which provided that only the employees who had retired before 2014 after exercising the joint option under the pre-amendment Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) can claim a higher pension.

The recent circular of the EPFO provides that all employees who have not exercised a joint option can exercise it within 03.05.2023 and claim a higher pension.

Who can submit a joint option to receive a higher pension?

  • Employers and employees who contributed on salary exceeding the prevalent wage ceiling of Rs.6,500 or 5,000
  • Did not exercise the joint option under para 11(3) of the pre-amendment scheme while being a member of EPS-95
  • Were members before 01.09.2014 and continued to be a member after 01.09.2014

How to apply for a higher pension?

  • Members can apply for the higher pension by clicking on the link provided in the PF member portal https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberInterfacePohw/ to apply for a higher pension.
  • Once the application process is complete, employees will get an acknowledgement number towards their application.
  • The office in charge of the concerned regional PF office will examine every case of a joint option on a higher salary and intimate their decision to the applicants through e-mail/post and SMS.
  • Applicants can register grievances on the EPFiGMS (grievance portal) after submitting the joint option forms and payment of contributions if any.

ESIC

ESIC, vide Notification S.O. 1514(E) dated 29th March 2023, implemented the provisions towards Chapter IV (Contribution), Chapter V (Benefits), and Chapter VI (Adjudication of Disputes and Claims) of the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 (ESI Act), effective from 1st day of April 2023, in the Valsad district of Gujarat.

ESIC, vide Notification S.O. 1427(E), implemented the provisions towards Chapter IV (Contribution), Chapter V (Benefits), and Chapter VI (Adjudication of Disputes and Claims) of The Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 (ESI Act) effective from 1st April 2023, in Kanchipuram, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Viluppuram, and Kallakurichi districts, in the State of Tamil Nadu.

ESIC, vide Notification S.O. 1426(E), implemented the provisions towards Chapter IV (Contribution), Chapter V (Benefits), and Chapter VI (Adjudication of Disputes and Claims) of The Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 (ESI Act) effective from 1st April 2023, in East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts in the State of Meghalaya.

ESIC, vide Notification No. S.O. 1191(E), implemented the provisions of Chapter IV (Contribution), Chapter V (Benefits), and Chapter VI (Adjudication of Disputes and Claims) of the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 (ESI Act), effective from 1st day of April 2023, in all the areas of Gandhinagar district, in the State of Gujarat.

Professional Tax

Government of Karnataka vide notification no. Dpal 06 Shasana 2023, dated 14th March 2023 amended various provisions of the Karnataka Tax on Profession, Trades, Callings, and Employments Act, 1976, including the provision regarding escaped tax, interest on delayed payments, and consequences of failure to deduct or to pay tax w.e.f 01st April 2023.

Minimum wages

  1. The Government of Chhattisgarh, vide Notification No. 08/2023/1969, revised the VDA effective from 1st April 2023 to 30th Sep 2023.
  2. The Government of Kerala, vide Notification No. DES/1036/2023-P3(1), revised the Consumer Price Index (Cost of Living Index) Numbers, updating the rate of variable dearness allowance for all the industries in the State of Kerala, with effect from 1st January 2023.
  3. The Government of Tamil Nadu, vide Notification No. Z3/4023/2023, revised the dearness allowances for all schedules of employment, effective from 1st April 2023
  4. The Government of Karnataka, vide Notification No. DES/SIP/PWX/06/2023, released the enhanced consumer price index for 2023 for calculating the variable dearness allowance effective from 1st April 2023 till 31st March 2024.
  5. The Government of Gujarat vide notification No. KHR/2023/28/LVD/10/2022/18/M2, revised the basic rate of wages effective from 1st April 2023. 

Shops and Establishment

Maharashtra

Government of Maharashtra, vide notification no. MSA-06/2022/C.R.100/Lab-10. Has declared the panchayats to be the local authority to enforce the provisions under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017. The Government of Maharashtra hereby declares Nagar Panchayats constituted under section 341A of the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965 (Mah.XL of 1965) and panchayats established or deemed to have been established under the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act (III of 1959), to be the local authorities for the purpose of Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017.


Factories Act

Karnataka

The Government of Karnataka, vide Notification No. LA Bill No. 04 of 2023, proposed amendment to various provisions including Section 54 (Daily Hour), Section 55 (Interval of rest), Section 56 (Spread over), Section 59 (extra wages for overtime), Section 65 (power of government to make exempting orders), Section 66 (restriction on employment of women) of the Factories Act, 1948.