July and August UIF Ters claims open from Monday

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) will open and begin processing applications for July and August Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) benefits from Monday, 17 August.

This comes after Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi authorised that the claims be processed next week.

In addition, 15 September has been announced as the cut-off date for applications for April and May benefits.

The new directives cover employees whose employers are:

• Not permitted to commence operations under the Disaster Management Regulations;
• Unable to make alternative arrangements for vulnerable workers, such as working from home or taking special occupational health and safety measures to protect them; or
• Unable to make use of their services because of operational requirements caused by compliance with regulations and directions such as rostering, the staggering of working hours, short time, and the introduction of shift systems.

UIF Commissioner Teboho Maruping says it is important to note that the application process remains the same.

“As with previous claim processes, to apply in the new period, employers are required to upload similar documentation that includes a signed approval or acceptance letter, bank confirmation letter, proof of payment to employees and refund to the UIF – if applicable,” he says.

Vigilance

“In keep[ing] with strict governance principles, we will still subject payments to bank verification prior to releasing the funds into the applicant’s accounts.”

Maruping says the experiences of the past have taught the department that even during the pandemic, “criminals are at large and looking to benefit through their nefarious means” and that the department has an obligation to do everything in its power to ensure that funds are not paid into incorrect accounts.

He says the UIF will issue a letter to employers who have applied for Ters benefits outlining the process to be followed when making applications for the extension period.

It will also update the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to serve as a quick reference for applicants.

All new applications for these periods must be uploaded on or before the cut-off date to qualify for processing and payment, while existing claims will remain open for corrections and finalisation beyond this date.

Employers who experience technical difficulty in creating or accessing their profile should contact 0800 030 007 for assistance.

This article first appeared on Moneyweb and was republished with permission.

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