The Unemployment Insurance Fund has said that they will reopen applications for the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme in March now that it has been extended. The aim of TERS is to help fight the worst effects of the pandemic on South Africans and to ensure that workers are not left penniless.
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has announced when applications for the Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) will re-open now that it has been extended until March. They also outlined how payments will be rolled out for the relief scheme.
Applications are expected to open by the first week of March. The fund is already busy with systems configuration for applications for the first payments to be processed.
UIF continued to explain:
The UIF will announce once the system is open for applications and will also provide easy aid guides and frequently asked questions to assist applicants with application processes.
There will be two payment periods:
- 16 October 2020 to 31 December 2020
- 1 January 2022 to 15 March 2022
During his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ramaphosa announced:
We have also decided to extend the COVID-19 TERS benefit until 15 March 2022 only for those sectors that have not been able to operate.
The UIF held a meeting with social partners at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) on how the TERS extension would work.
The Covid-19 TERS will be applicable to sectors still affected by lockdown regulations, employees with comorbidities and people over 60 who can’t be reasonably accommodated at work.
UIF has also proposed that employees who have had to self-isolate or quarantine be included and can claim an income replacement. This was welcomed by Nedlac.
Sectors which will benefit from the extension include the tourism sector, hospitality sector and the liquor sector.
Marsha Bronkhurst, UIF acting commissioner, said the following on who would be included:
The business constituency has been tasked to review the proposed sectors to ensure that all businesses or establishments who are affected in one way or another are covered in this extension.
UIF continues to pay claims which are outstanding that are already in the system.
R58 148 363 515 has been paid through TERS.
Employees who are having their TERS payments withheld or are witnessing any suspected fraudulent behaviours are urged to report it through the following channels:
- Call: 0800 212 799
- Email: uif@thehotline.co.za
- SMS: 30916
The aim of TERS is to help fight the worst effects of the pandemic on South Africans and to ensure that workers are not left penniless.
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