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Provident Fund Under the Code on Social Security, 2020: Applicability, Compliances, Inquiries, Recovery and Remedies

Understanding PF coverage, contributions, statutory inquiries, demand proceedings and recovery remedies under the new social security framework. Provident Fund compliance is not limited to deducting contributions from employees and depositing them on time. For an HR professional, it also involves determining coverage, examining wage components, maintaining records and responding to questions raised by the provident fund authorities. When a dispute develops into a substantial demand or recovery proceeding, the matter can become far more complex. The Code on Social Security, 2020 consolidates the legal framework governing provident fund and other social security benefits. The Code came into force from 21 November 2025, subject to the applicable commencement notifications and transitional provisions. The relevant schemes, rules and notifications must also be considered while examining a particular period of employment or contribution liability. Official government information I am present...
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EPFO UPI Withdrawal Update October 2026: Testing Begins and Launch Expected by Year-End

EPFO has reportedly started testing UPI-based PF withdrawals with banks. Here is what the latest update means for employees, how much they may be able to withdraw and what remains to be confirmed. Last updated: 12 October 2026 For many salaried employees, the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is more than a retirement saving. It is also a source of financial support when an unexpected expense arises. The difficulty is that accessing provident fund money involves a claim process and members may have to wait for the claim to be processed before the money reaches their bank account. This is why the proposed facility to withdraw PF money through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has attracted considerable attention. If implemented as expected, it could make accessing eligible PF savings more convenient for employees. The latest development is encouraging. According to a report published by Moneycontrol on 7 October 2026, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has started testin...
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HRMS vs Payroll Software: Differences and How to Choose

 HRMS vs Payroll Software: What Does Your Organization Actually Need? The difference between salary processing and complete HR management, and how to choose the right system for your organization. When an organization starts considering HR software, the discussion often begins with a simple question: should we purchase payroll software or implement a Human Resource Management System (HRMS)? The answer usually depends on who is asking. The Accounts team may want accurate salary calculations, fewer payroll errors and timely salary disbursement. HR may be looking for a reliable employee database, attendance and leave management, recruitment records and appraisal workflows. Management may want consolidated reports on employee strength, manpower costs, vacancies and attrition. All three requirements are legitimate, but they are not necessarily the same requirement. This is where organization's sometimes make an expensive mistake. They purchase a comprehensive HRMS when their immediate d...
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Labour Codes for Cooperatives and Dairy Unions: What Actually Changes for You

A question I keep hearing from people who work in cooperative institutions goes something like this: we are governed by our own bye-laws and a Board elected by members, so surely the new Labour Codes work differently for us? It is a fair question. It also has a short answer that many unions would rather not hear. Yes, the Codes apply to you The four Labour Codes came into force on 21 November 2025 and repealed 29 central labour laws in one stroke. Nothing in that framework carves out a special category for cooperatives. What decides whether a provision applies to you is the nature of the establishment and the number of people it employs, not the legal form of the organization. A dairy union running a processing plant is an industrial employer like any other. A village society with a handful of staff is a very different case. That difference is exactly where the thresholds matter. State rules add another layer. Most dairy establishments fall under state jurisdiction, which means the C...
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Writing a Rejection Email People Actually Thank You For

A few years ago I rejected a candidate for a role, a genuinely strong person who just wasn't the right fit for that specific position. Three weeks later she wrote back thanking me for the clearest, most respectful rejection she'd ever received. She asked to be kept in mind for anything else that opened up. Eighteen months later, we hired her into a different role entirely and she's still with the organization today. That outcome didn't happen because I did anything heroic. It happened because the rejection email actually said something, instead of saying nothing dressed up as politeness. Most HR teams treat the rejection stage as an afterthought, something to clear out of the pipeline once the real decision is made. I'd argue it's actually one of the highest-leverage emails you'll ever send, precisely because almost nobody is putting any real effort into it, which means a small amount of effort here goes a long way. Why the Rejection Email Matters More Tha...
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