ESIC appeal to enrol for schemes by deadline

The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) regional office has called upon interested employers and employees to register for key initiatives of the Government of India aimed at expanding social security coverage before the deadline closes on December 31.

The ESIC regional director Srinivasan Krishnakumar said in a press note that in order to facilitate participation in Scheme for Promoting Registration of Employers and Employees (SPREE) and the Amnesty Scheme 2025, dedicated registration desks have been created at Regional Office (RO) on 89/2, Buvankare Street, Mudaliarpet, Puducherry – 605 004.

Desks are also operational at all Branch Offices (BOs) to provide guidance and assistance to employers and employees.

According to the press note, SPREE-2025 — effective from July 1 to December 31, 2025 — offered a special window for unregistered employers and left out workers, including contractual and temporary staff, to voluntarily enroll under the ESI system. Apart from augmenting the social security benefit, the scheme also aimed at promoting voluntary compliance, and reducing legal disputes under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948.

Registration during this period ensures coverage from the declared date of registration and uninterrupted access to social security benefits. Eligible employers failing to register within this special window are likely to face enforcement action as per the provisions of the Act in future.

In addition to this, the Amnesty Scheme 2025 — operational from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025 — provided the opportunity for the withdrawal of prosecution cases filed u/ s 84 and 85 of ESI Act and court cases u/ s 75 and 82 of the ESI Act and Article 226, subject to certain terms and conditions.

The scheme has been launched to reduce the number of litigations by providing a mechanism for resolution of disputes outside the court and earn goodwill of stakeholders, thus enhancing the brand image of the Corporation. The ESIC director urged employers to take advantage of this scheme.