Relief as UIF TERS benefit gets extended
The extension was yesterday announced by the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Boitumelo Moloi.
POLOKWANE – The Employment and Labour Ministry yesterday announced that the Covid-19 TERS relief has been extended.
In a statement, the ministry said the payments have provided ordinary workers in the country a means to shield them from the worst effects of the pandemic and to ensure that their families are not drawn into abject poverty.
The Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Boitumelo Moloi, who spoke on behalf of Minister Thulas Nxesi who is recovering from a Covid-19 related illness, announced the extension when she spoke at the occasion of Budget 31.
“Following due diligence and consultation with the Unemployment Insurance Fund actuaries, and in line with the president’s decision to extend the life of the Disaster Management Act until 15 August, we have taken the decision to similarly extend the Covid-19 Ters benefit until 15 August.”
The department’s Media Liaison Officer, Mapula Tloubatla, said the benefit structure and existing criteria remain the same. “We are considering closing the April, May and June applications at the end of July. All valid applications already received for these two months will be processed. We are in consultation with the social partners at Nedlac in this regard.
The statement added: “The extension of the relief scheme comes as the UIF has put cash in the hands of workers of some R34 billion in 7,4 million payments while maintaining its normal benefits disbursements which have amounted to R4 billion in 677 000 payments to beneficiaries since 26 March.”
Moloi also announced that the Compensation Fund’s commitment is to consider any claim from workers who contract the virus while at work.
The relief provided by the CF comprises:
- pay-out for temporary disablement while the worker is in quarantine, self-isolation or hospitalised;
- payment of medical expenses; and
- where, tragically, the illness results in fatality the fund will pay out survivor benefits to dependants in the form of a monthly pension and funeral benefit.
Watch the video below on the application process guideline:
