New Delhi, Nov. 10 -- The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has urged employers to settle pending provident fund (PF) damage disputes under its one-time VISHWAS 2026 scheme, which offers reduced rates for eligible defaults. The settlement window runs from 29 June to 28 December 2026, giving establishments a limited period to close disputes without prolonged litigation.

The scheme applies to damages arising from defaults before 14 June 2024. These are penalties for delayed remittance of PF contributions and are separate from statutory interest on delayed deposits. Under VISHWAS, damages are recalculated at 0.25% per month for delays of up to two months, 0.50% per month for delays from two to less than four months, and 1% per m...