In a significant outreach initiative aimed at enhancing awareness about employee welfare legislations and schemes, the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Haryana Regional Office, organized an awareness seminar under the banner of the Faridabad Progressive School Conference. The seminar focused on educating school officials and establishment owners about the statutory provisions of the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948, and the benefits of registration under the ESI Scheme.

The event highlighted that, as per the ESI Act, every school, factory, clinic, hospital, shop, or establishment employing 10 or more employees is mandatorily required to register under the scheme. Registration must be completed within 15 days of reaching the threshold of 10 employees. It was emphasized that ESIC registration not only ensures compliance with labour laws but also safeguards employers from financial liabilities arising under the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923, and the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, in cases where ESI registration has not been done.

Participants were informed that many establishments, despite being eligible for years, have failed to register with ESIC, thereby depriving their employees of crucial social security benefits. Non-compliance can lead to retrospective contribution liabilities, interest, penalties, and legal action.

To address these concerns and promote voluntary compliance, information was disseminated about the Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers and Employees (SPREE) 2025, launched by ESIC under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India. The scheme provides an opportunity for eligible establishments to register under the ESI Scheme without fear of retrospective scrutiny or demand. Key features of SPREE 2025 include:

• No inspection of past records for newly registered establishments;
• No demand for past contributions, interest, or penalties;
• No legal action for past non-compliance;
• Registration of establishment owner to be considered from the date of registration.

Under SPREE 2025, employers and employees can avail themselves of the full range of ESIC benefits, including medical care, sickness and maternity benefits, permanent disability and dependent pensions, unemployment allowance under Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana, funeral expenses, skill development, vocational training, and rehabilitation.

This special registration scheme is open until 31 December 2025, offering a limited window for establishments to regularize their status and extend social security coverage to their employees.

Establishment owners seeking assistance or clarification can contact the dedicated helpline at 0129-2222980 / 981 for immediate support.

The seminar witnessed active participation from around 40 employers and representatives of educational institutions. The event was spearheaded by Mr. Sugan Lal Meena, Regional Director, ESIC Haryana, who provided detailed insights into the statutory obligations and benefits under the ESI scheme. Other prominent attendees included Mr. T.S. Dalal (Chief Patron), Mr. Narendra Parmar (President), Mr. Rajdeep Singh (General Secretary), Mr. Bharat Bhushan (Treasurer), Mr. Narayan Dagar, Mr. Saket Bhatia, Mr. Rakesh Bansal, Mr. Anubhav Maheshwari, Mr. Tulsi, Mr. Vinay Goyal, Mr. Vinod, Mr. Mohan, and Mr. Bhagwan Singh, among others.

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Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexander

(Release ID: 2168018)