UIF Ters payments resume from Monday

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has announced that payments for the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) will resume on Monday ( September 21).

The Fund had suspended payments on September 10 following the investigation by the Auditor-General which found that millions of rands were being paid out to people who are not eligible for the relief, including those who receive social grants, prisoners, foreigners and children younger than 15.

It had said that during the suspension it was verifying information on the UIF database against the South African Social Security Agency, National Students Financial Aid Scheme and the Department of Home Affairs, to ensure payments reach the correct persons, to prevent further payments to the incorrect hands.

Acting UIF Commissioner Marsha Bronkhorst said in a statement on Saturday morning that the Fund will resume with payments for April, May and June 2020 on Monday and Tuesday.

Thereafter it plans to run with payments for the July to August 15 period from Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26.

She said these multiple runs were to fast track the payments to the intended beneficiaries.

“We are aware that many workers around the country have been placed on a back foot as a result of the need to ensure that our systems stand up to scrutiny and we close the gaps identified by the Auditor General”.

“While the inconvenience was greatly regretted, we are pleased that we have turned things around in what we believe is quick time and our systems are ready to make a difference in the lives of the workers again,” Bronkhorst said.

It is to be noted that while the Fund will start processing payments, only completed applications will be processed.

Bronkhorst stressed that the Fund still has claims that are yet to be processed in the system because of outstanding information, and this will delay their payments being processed.

“Incomplete claims or claims where there is information that is still outstanding from employers will not be automatically processed. We urge employers to submit this information and we have made it easier for them to know what is still outstanding by developing the Discrepancy Tab in the system and they can also use FAQs on the DEL website,” said Bronkhorst.

Employers and employees who have not applied for the Benefit ned to be mindful of the following application closing dates for a period between April to September, as previously announced.

• Applications for March 2020 to end May 2020 will close on September 25;
• Applications for June 2020 will close on October 15;
• And applications for July to September 15 will close on October 30.

No further applications for those periods shall be accepted beyond those dates mentioned.