ESI is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. Employee's State Insurance (ESI) is a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme for Indian workers.
This scheme is started for Indian workers. The workers are provided with a huge variety of medical, monetary and other benefits from the employer. Any Company having more than 10 employees (in some states it is 20 employees) who have a maximum salary of Rs. 15000/- has to mandatorily register itself with the ESIC.
Every month, employers are required to contribute 3.25 % and employee contributes 0.75% of the wages payable. Total ESI contribution i.e. 4% deposited to the ESIC fund.
Total ESI contribution is 4%
ESI contribution rates for employee and employers are as below :
Employee | Employers |
3.25% | 0.75% |
The benefits of registering under this scheme are varied. Some of them are:
1. Sickness benefits at the rate of 70% (in the form of salary), in case of any certified illness certified and which lasts for a maximum of 91 days in any year
2. Medical Benefits to an employee and his family members
3. Maternity Benefit to the women who are pregnant (paid leaves)
4. If the death of the employee happens while on work – 90% of the salary is given to his dependents every month after the death of the employee
5. Same as above in case of disability of the employee
6. Funeral expenses
As per the government notification dated Sec 1(5) of the ESI Act the following entities are covered:
1. Shops
2. Restaurants or Hotels only engaged in sales.
3. Cinemas
4. Road Motor Transport Establishments;
5. Newspaper establishments (which is not covered under the factory act)
The documents required for the registration are –
1. A registration certificate obtained either under the:
a. Factories Act
b. Shops and Establishment Act
2. Certificate of Registration in case of Company, and Partnership deed in case of a Partnership
3. Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the Company
4. A list of all the employees working in the Establishment
5. PAN Card of the Business Entity as well as all the Employees working under the entity
6. The compensation details of all the employees
7. A cancelled cheque of the Bank Account of the Company
8. List of Directors of the Company
9. List of the Shareholders of the Company
10. Register containing the attendance of the employees
After collecting all the above-mentioned documents the following procedure is to be followed for the registration of the ESI:
a. Form No – 1 (Employers Registration Form) is to be downloaded and filled.
Step 1: After verification of the form, the government will issue a 17 digit unique number
Step 2: The employee who is registered under this scheme will provide the employer with the filled form and photographs of his own family members as a part of the process of registration and will get an ESI card after registration
Step 3: Any change in the Company or its employees will be intimated to the ESIC
After the registration ESI Returns have to be filed twice a year. The following documents are required for the filing of the returns:
1. Register of Attendance of the Employees
2. Form 6 – Register
3. Register of wages
4. Register of any accidents which have happened on the premises of the business