The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) offers a number of different benefits for people who have become unemployed or have not been able to work for a number of reasons.
The Department of Labour recently re-introduced the Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS). This has got people questioning what is the difference between the TERS benefits and other benefits offered by the UIF.
The Covid-19 TERS was created to help ease the financial burden caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. TERS allows people who have been forced to stop working, or have had their work time reduced due to the pandemic, get vital financial relief.
You will only be able to receive TERS benefits for the time that you were forced to stop working due to lockdown levels or the recent unrest in parts of KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng. Employers must apply for TERS benefits on behalf of their employees.
UIF TERS benefits are de-linked to the UIF’s credit system. This means that if you apply for TERS relief, it will not reduce the amount of UIF credits you have built up.
Other benefits offered by the UIF like the unemployment benefits, maternity benefits and illness benefits are subject to the UIF credit system. If you receive any of these benefits, it will use credits you have built up.
Individuals won't be able to receive more than one benefit from the UIF. You won't be eligible to receive unemployment benefits and Covid-19 TERS benefits.
Go to the TERS online portal https://uifecc.labour.gov.za/covid19/covid19 and click on “Payment Status”.
