Planning to switch your job? EPFO has an important message for you


If you are in the process of changing your job then the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has an important message for you. The retirement fund body has told the employees that they do not need to apply for a new UAN (Universal Account Number) at the time of changing jobs. This is because a member is not supposed to have more than one UAN.

“Employees are not required to generate a new UAN when leaving their old employment. A member cannot have more than one UAN. There is no requirement for having a fresh UAN at all, in any case of unemployment or change of employment,” tweeted EPFO.

UAN, or universal account number, is a 12-digit number that identifies an employee’s Employee Provident Fund (EPF) deposits. It stays constant across employers.

Another pertinent thing that the EPFO has been propagating is that the last date for employers for aadhaar-based UAN activation of its employees is Nov 30.

“It is important to activate your UAN to enjoy the services of EPFO such as PF, Pension, Insurance, and most importantly, the Employment Linked Incentive!” tweeted EPFO.

To ensure aadhaar-based UAN activation, you need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Visit the EPFO portal

Step 2. Click activate UAN under important links

Step 3. Enter UAN, aadhaar number, name, DOB

Step 4. Aadhaar linked mobile number

Step 5. Ensure your mobile number is aadhaar linked

Step 6. Agree to aadhaar OTP verification

Step 7. Get authorization PIN to receive an OTP on your aadhaar-linked mobile.

Step 8. Enter the OTP to complete activation.

New joinees 

Employers, in the first stage, are required to complete the process of UAN activation through Aadhaar-based OTP for all their employees joining in the current financial year by 30th November 2024, starting with the latest joinees. They must then complete the process for all employees working with them.

UAN activation provides employees with seamless access to EPFO’s comprehensive online services, enabling them to efficiently manage their Provident Fund (PF) accounts, view and download PF passbooks, submit online claims for withdrawals, advances, or transfers, update personal details, and track claims in real time.