In South Africa, there are a number of leave days that employees are entitled to and each one has its own conditions that an individual needs to meet.
This includes the annual, sick, maternity and family responsibility leave, just mention a few. According to the Labour Law, leave days do not apply to employees who work less than 24 hours per month.
Maternity leave is time off that is given to an expectant mother for up to four months, commencing no later than four weeks of the expected child’s date of birth.
The mother-to-be will be provided with temporary financial assistance during this period as part of their Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) maternity benefit.
According to the Fund, here’s how you can apply for the benefit:
Step 1: Get the following documents ready:
- 13-digit bar-coded ID or passport
- form UI-2.8 for banking details
- form UI-2.7;
- form UI-2.3 (application form)
- medical certificate from a doctor or birth certificate of the baby
- form UI-4 (follow-up form)
Step 2: Go to the nearest labour centre
Pregnant workers are required to go to their nearest labour centre and hand in the documents. Should they be ill, they can organise for someone else to go in their place and staff at the labour centre will assist them with all the processes and give them more information.
Step 3: Follow all the instructions of the staff at the labour centre
Staff at the labour centre may ask pregnant workers to go to the doctor again or to visit the labour centre at certain times. Workers should do what they ask, or they may not be able to claim.
Individuals may only submit their claim of their maternity benefit as soon as they go on maternity leave .
Employees may also apply for the benefit within the twelve month period after the baby's birth. The Fund has also confirmed that mothers who have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth may still apply for this benefit too.
The UIF provides benefits to people who have legally adopted a child below the age of two as long as they have been contributing to the Fund.
