Clarification on treatment of weekends/closed holidays — Regulation of claims in reference to Para 22(3) of Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976
Employees Provident Fund Organisation
(MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA)
Head Office
Plate A, Ground Floor, Block II, East Kidwai Nagar, New Delhi-110023
Website: www.epfindia.gov.in. www.epfindia.nic.in
MOST IMMEDIATE
No.791942/EDLI/Continuous/Service/Clarification/2024/1412640/41
Date: 17.12.2025
To
All Additional Central P.F. Commissioners(HQ)/All Additional CPFCs (Zones)
All Regional Provident Fund Commissioners in-Charges of Regions.
Subject: Regulation of claims in reference to Para 22(3) of Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976 — regarding clarification on treatment of weekends/closed holidays.
Reference: (1) Head Office Circular No. E-file No.27058 dated 29.04.2021 on GSR 299(E) dated 29.4.2021.
(2) Government of India Notification No. GSR 476(E) dated 18.7.2025.
Madam/Sir,
It is informed that vide GSR No. 299(E) dated 29.4.2021 and GSR No. 476(E) dated 18.7.2025, the provisions of para 22 of Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976 have been amended to rationalise minimum benefit payable and remove some of the difficulties in determining continuous service for the purpose of entitlement of assurance benefits. Vide the latest amendment GSR No.476(E), further amendments have been made as follows: –
- The minimum benefit payable to dependents/legal heirs of members who have not rendered continuous service of 12 months before the month of their death and average PF balance is less that Rs. 50,000 has been raised to Rs. 50,000.
- The members who die in service within six months of their last contribution received, provided they were still on the employers’ rolls, EDLI benefits would be payable to dependents/legal heirs of employees as per the Scheme.
- For the members who have rendered service in more than one EPF covered establishments where there is a gap of upto 60 days between two spells of such gap would be ignored and such multiple services shall be treated as continuous service.
2. It has come to notice that, in EDLI death claim cases, benefits under the EDLI Scheme, 1976 are being denied or settled for reduced amount due to interpretation of minor gaps as break in service, without due assessment of the actual continuity of employment in more than one spell of service rendered by the member prior to his death while in service. An instance has been reported where, Saturday and Sunday immediately falling between date of exit from one establishment and joining in another establishment covered under EPF & MP Act, 1952 has been treated as break in service, whereas the member has rendered service of more than 12 months after adding the spells of services leading to denial of eligibility for EDLI benefits.
3. It is hereby clarified that vide Government of India Notification No. 299(E) dated 29.4.2021 the objective of continuous service was introduced. This has been further modified vide GSR No. 476(E) dated 18.7.2025 to remove anomalies relating to break in-service or non-contributory service that lead to denial of assurance benefits.
4. Thus, continuous spells of service immediately followed by Saturdays, Sundays or any declared weekly off in the last or present establishment, National holiday, Gazetted holiday, State holiday and Restricted holiday are to be treated as part of continuous service only, provided the date of exit from one establishment and date of joining in the next establishment covered under EPF & MP Act, 1952 are separated only by such offs/holidays. In other words, the Saturdays, Sundays or any declared weekly off in the last or present establishment, National holiday, Gazetted holiday, State holiday and Restricted holiday shall not be treated as break in service and the service shall be treated as continuous.
5. Therefore, all Regional PF Commissioners are directed to ensure compliance of the above directions while processing EDLI claims.
6. The IS Division may please take necessary action to incorporate requisite change in the EDLI module for processing of the EDLI claims by the Regional Offices.
[This issues with the approval of CPFC]
Yours faithfully,
(Aprajita Jaggi)
Additional Central P.F. Commissioner
Copy to:
- All CBT Members for kind information please.
- PS to CPFC.
- PPS to FA&CAO/CVO/Director, PDNASS.
- All ACC HQs and ACCs in Head Office.
- Addl. CPFC(IS) — for information and necessary action to initiate software change in EDLI processing module.
- RPFC(IS)/Joint Director(IS).
- RPFC(WSU).
- Webadmin — for uploading on website.
- Director (OL): For Hindi version of this circular.
COMMENTS