The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has taken an initiative in order to expedite the processing of Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) claims.
EDLI is a cover provided by the EPFO to its members in case of a member’s death during service. The minimum benefit that is payable under this situation is ₹2.5 lakh, while the maximum is ₹7 lakh. The EPFO’s warning comes close on the heels of a number of cases where field offices have not accepted EDLI claims for several reasons.
The Organisation has asked field offices to ensure verification of all EDLI claims within seven days and also that families are not harassed. It has also stressed that all zonal and regional offices are advised to settle the claims strictly under scheme provisions.
In a bid to make the officials more responsible, EPFO has stated that in cases where the employer states that the member is on the muster rolls and the EO says otherwise, the reason why the employer version is not acceptable should be listed out and examined at the office, it has said.
According to the EDLI Scheme, 1976; the assurance benefit is payable on the member’s death while in service.
It also states that in cases where an employee member was on leave without wages or absent or any other reason and passed away during the period, the assurance benefit is admissible regardless of the fact that no contribution was paid by the employer, provided he was on the muster of the rolls of the establishment on the day of death and satisfied the prescribed conditions.