The Ministry of Labour and Employment has directed the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to run a campaign in collaboration with employers to activate the Universal Account Number (UAN) of employees. In a release issued in December 2024, the ministry stated that in the first phase, employers must complete the UAN activation process using Aadhaar-based OTP for all employees joining in the current financial year by November 30, 2024, starting with newly joined employees. After that, the process must be completed for all employees working with them. In this context, is it necessary to activate UAN after every job change? Let’s find out the answer.
No Need to Activate UAN When Changing Jobs
According to a social media post from EPFO (formerly on Twitter), employees do not need to create a new UAN when leaving their previous job. A member cannot have more than one UAN. Therefore, there is no need to create a new UAN in case of unemployment or a change of employment. If two UANs are allotted to an employee, they should transfer all previous services linked to the old UAN to the current UAN using the “One Member One EPF Account” facility on the EPFO portal. This means there is no need to activate a new UAN after changing jobs.
Critical Information!
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@mygovindia @PMOIndia…
— EPFO (@socialepfo) November 27, 2024
What is UAN?
UAN (Universal Account Number) is a unique 12-digit number assigned to a member. It is a permanent number that remains valid throughout the life of the member, irrespective of job changes. The UAN helps in the automatic transfer of EPF funds and facilitates PF withdrawals.
Difference Between UAN and Aadhaar
1. Purpose:
- UAN: A 12-digit number for managing EPF accounts and fund transfers.
- Aadhaar: A 12-digit unique identity number used for various services and government schemes.
2. Issued By:
- UAN: Issued by EPFO.
- Aadhaar: Issued by UIDAI.
3. Scope:
- UAN: Linked to EPF accounts and retirement savings.
- Aadhaar: Used for identity verification across multiple sectors.
4. Employment Change:
- UAN: Remains the same even after job changes.
- Aadhaar: Permanent, not affected by job or location.
5. Linking:
- UAN: Can be linked to Aadhaar for EPF services.
- Aadhaar: Linked to various services like bank accounts and government schemes.
Avijit Das
A sports journalist driven by passion and dedication, I seamlessly blend my love for writing and sports. Currently with Timesbull, I have honed my craft at Sportskeeda, Cricreads, and Athlete Fortune. I live and breathe sports—whether it's football, cricket, cards, or chess, I'm always up for a challenge. A die-hard...
