In an effort to eliminate the risk of criminals exploiting the COVID-19 Temporary Employee Relief Scheme, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has introduced new stringent controls to verify banking details of recipients. This comes after the Fund was in recent weeks exposed to opportunistic elements. Due to the introduction of the new safety and security changes, the Fund has had to delay payments. “However, over the weekend, it resumed payments and disbursed R 372 million of COVID-19 … [Read more...] about UIF tightens TERS payment controls
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UIF scrutinising suspicious relief claims
Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has assured Parliament that the department is conducting the requisite due diligence as it disburses COVID-19 TERS Benefits to avoid processing fraudulent claims. The Minister made the assurance during a virtual Employment and Labour Portfolio Committee meeting on Wednesday. Suspicious claims, said the Minister, are being subjected to forensic audits where foul play is suspected. “With these huge payments, inevitably you will … [Read more...] about UIF scrutinising suspicious relief claims
Over R14 billion disbursed in UIF COVID-19 benefits
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has paid out over R14 billion in benefits to employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. “The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), an entity of the Department of Employment and Labour, today processed and paid COVID-19 TERS [ Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme] relief payments to the tune of R748 815 094.20 benefitting 149 263 workers, represented by 9 362 employers,” said the UIF on Monday. “This brings to 2 551 236 the total number of … [Read more...] about Over R14 billion disbursed in UIF COVID-19 benefits
R11 billion disbursed in UIF COVID-19 benefits
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has in the past month disbursed R11 billion in benefits to over two million employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. A total of 161 567 companies launched claims on behalf of their workers over the course of the last month. The funds were disbursed through the COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS). This method of paying out, was borne out of an agreement reached at the National Economic Development … [Read more...] about R11 billion disbursed in UIF COVID-19 benefits
UIF pays R9.5 billion to workers
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has disbursed almost R9.5 billion through the COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS). "This is a critical infusion and further creates a safety net for workers who may ordinarily not be paid because of the lockdown as a result of the Coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic,” said Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi said on Thursday. The payments have benefitted 1 937 558 workers. “We serve the people of this … [Read more...] about UIF pays R9.5 billion to workers
576 639 Workers have been disadvantaged to the tune of close to R2.4 billion
Employers urged to pay relief funds to workers Employers have been urged to ensure that money paid over by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) for the COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) is disbursed to the workers. Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi made the call to employers following numerous complaints received from workers who allege that their employers have not paid them the money the UIF has disbursed as part of COVID-19 TERS. The money is meant to … [Read more...] about 576 639 Workers have been disadvantaged to the tune of close to R2.4 billion
UIF disbursements surpass R3 billion mark
Government has dispersed R3.3 billion in Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) claim benefits submitted by 1.75 million workers - as relief for the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism Minister Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said the UIF has, to date, received just over 103 thousand applications from employers representing about 1.75 million employees. A bulk of the applications were made by employers, through the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme, on behalf of their affected … [Read more...] about UIF disbursements surpass R3 billion mark
UIF pays out COVID-19 benefits to workers
A total of 606 462 employees who have lost their income as a result of the lockdown imposed to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19 will receive their benefit from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). To date, the UIF has received just over 55 268 applications from employers representing about 1 601 767 employees. In total, the UIF has over 1 800 000 employers registered on its database representing more than 8 million workers. Of the received applications, the UIF has processed 37 673 … [Read more...] about UIF pays out COVID-19 benefits to workers
Minister Nxesi assesses COVID-19 operations at UIF
The UIF Call Centre has been experiencing system failures due to the influx of calls Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi is today conducting a walkabout at the Johannesburg office of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) that is handling a massive number of claims related to COVID-19. The Minister’s visit to the centre on Monday, comes as the country marks day 25 of the nationwide lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. In an effort to provide income support to workers … [Read more...] about Minister Nxesi assesses COVID-19 operations at UIF
Should the UIF threshold be reduced and benefits stay the same?
The Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene has proposed a temporary reduction in contributions by employers and employees to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), while keeping the benefits unchanged. This is according to Katlego Letlonkane, an associate in the Employment practice at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr who says that the public have been invited to comment on these changes before 20 March 2015. Letlonkane explains that the proposal seeks to reduce the remuneration threshold against which the … [Read more...] about Should the UIF threshold be reduced and benefits stay the same?
UIF on sound footing
Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Commissioner Boas Seruwe says he is pleased with the financial standing of the fund, with payments of up to R5.7 billion having been made to beneficiaries in the 2013/14 financial year. "The fund has built an asset base valued at R102 billion and has over the past five successive years posted clean audits. We do not think the fund will in the foreseeable future will go and ask government for bail out," Seruwe said at 4th Annual UIF Seminar held in Pretoria on … [Read more...] about UIF on sound footing
UIF Ammendment Bill to Extend Benefits
The Minister of Labour will introduce the Unemployment Insurance Amendment Bill into the National Assembly during 2014. According to Johan Botes, Director in the Employment Practice at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, this draft Bill, which will amend the Unemployment Insurance Act, 2001, has several important implications for employers and employees. Botes explains that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is a vehicle for payment of benefits to employees who become unemployed, take maternity leave … [Read more...] about UIF Ammendment Bill to Extend Benefits
UIF benefits to improve
The benefits paid by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) are set to improve drastically, says Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant. Addressing domestic workers at an imbizo in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape on Saturday, Oliphant said officials were considering extending the unemployment insurance claims benefits period for workers from the current period of six months to a year. Currently, certain categories of workers are excluded, namely employees on learnership, workers who work less … [Read more...] about UIF benefits to improve
UIF Administrator Syndicate Strikes UIF Clients
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has warned all its clients not to fill in forms from a group calling itself the UIF Administrator of Fund or Unclaimed Fund. Commissioner Boas Seruwe said the syndicate is circulating forms to businesses and ordinary people, claiming to assist them with recovering of"unclaimed monies" from the UIF. In the fraudulent forms, the fraudsters promise to recover inflated monthly amounts of R10 000 and more for their"clients" for a period of 12 months. The … [Read more...] about UIF Administrator Syndicate Strikes UIF Clients
