EPF, ETF to carry ID numbers soon

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The number in the National Identity Cards (NICs) of 8.5 million workers in the country will be used for the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees Trust Fund (ETF) under the re-registration project to be implemented by the Labour Department shortly.

Labour Ministry Secretary Mahinda Madihahewa told the Sunday Observer that this decision was taken following numerous complaints by employees, especially those in small scale business enterprises and those in the informal sectors as there are different EPF numbers given by the employees' workplace after his retirement.

He said the use of NIC number in place of EPF and ETF numbers will immensely benefit a large number of workers in the informal sector who often break their services due to the closure of companies or any other reason and seek employment elsewhere till they reach fifty-five. Referring to several instances that some small scale business enterprises do not deduct EPF or ETF contributions from the salaries of workers, he said that the workers come to know about it only when they retire.

"With the implemention of the re-registration program, workers could even check their entitlements in the EPF and ETF from Labour Department officers countrywide."