Employers’ to voluntarily pay EOBI contribution at enhanced rate

KARACHI: The employers have agreed to voluntarily contribute to the Employees Old-age Benefit Institution (EOBI) at an enhanced rate and the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) will establish the EOBI Help Desk in the EFP Secretariat to facilitate contributions, a statement said.

This was agreed in a consultative meeting of the employers and the EOBI officials organised by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan.

EOBI chairman Shakeel Ahmed Mangnejo, on the occasion, expressed the commitment of the institution to do everything possible to facilitate the pension process so that the impasse between employers and workers on the quantum of contribution to be paid may be eased till such time appropriate legal framework is in place.

The chairman also expressed the hope that with the steps being agreed jointly with the EFP, the atmosphere of litigation will be replaced by a climate of cooperation for the mutual benefit of the employers and workers.

He assured the employers that EOBI will take all possible measures to develop a conducive environment in which it can render its services to the employers and workers alike in the true spirit of the legislation and provide the much-needed social protection contained behind the spirit of the legislation.

The EOBI chairman also expressed the hope that the pending issues arising out of the devolution will be settled and the federal government will come out with a plausible solution for managing the EOBI law till such time the provinces are ready to implement the law as per the devolution process contained in the 18th Amendment.

Zaki Ahmed Khan, acting president of the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP), in his address, thanked the EOBI chairman for agreeing to facilitate the process and dilute the otherwise charged legal environment in which there was a long impasse between the employers and EOBI on legal issues.

Zaki clarified that since there were difficulties in amending the federal and provincial law providing quantum of contribution to be paid by the employers, the employers have voluntarily agreed to pay the EOBI contribution at an enhanced rate of up to Rs13,000/month.

The employers’ agreement was based on the consideration that it will help their workers to receive the maximum pension amount for the retiring workers through EOBI.

Zaki also said that since the contribution and its backlog could create hardships for the employers, it was agreed that EOBI will facilitate the payment process and a Help Desk at the EFP Secretariat will facilitate enterprises in paying their contribution and resolve the issues related to payment of contribution, as well as benefits to the workers.

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