As many employees threaten to down tools due to delays in Covid-19 Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme TERS, the Department of Labour has placed the blame on the employers for causing the hold up by not providing the necessary documents required.
UIF spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi denied that the fund was facing a backlog causing dire stress and suffering to millions of workers who have been affected by salary cuts and lay-offs due to Covid-19 lockdown.
He said: “These issues are for the employer to resolve. We do indicate what the employer needs to do and provide emails where information can be sent.
“We do not have backlogs in relation to applications where the information is valid and complete.”
Buthelezi said there were a variety of reasons for the delays, but these are the upper most reasons:
* The employer indicates that the salary received during the shutdown period is more or equal to the normal salary. When you apply for the benefit, the employer should indicate if he/she will be paying a portion or not paying at all. If he/she pays the portion, then our top-up should not be more than R6700, which is the maximum UIF payment. So, if the employer reflects the salary he’s going to pay during lockdown as R6700 or more; then UIF cannot pay. The reason will be given on the payment schedule.
* Invalid ID - this means the ID might be missing a number.
* ID number not found - this is when the form of identification is not the SA 13 digit ID number.
* Applicant has active claim within UIF - this is when the employee has another claim, for example, an unemployment benefit claim or maternity claim that was never closed by the employer.
* Entities Registered after March 15, 2020 do not qualify for UIF TERS Benefits.
The scheme has been extended by another 6 weeks to 15 August 2020.
Earlier this week President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his address to the nation that for the months of April, May and June, the UIF’s special Covid-19 benefit has paid out R34 billion, “helping over seven-and-a-half million workers and preventing retrenchments in a number of companies”.
The Sunday Independent