TERS is an abbreviation of Temporary Employment Relief Scheme. This scheme was instituted following the emergence of Covid-19 and the many global atrocities and hardships it brought on people.
The main purpose of TERS is to aid employers who due to Covid-19 are unable to pay the salaries of their employees and also in a situation where these employees are required to take compulsory leave.
TERS was initiated and started running on March 25, 2020, when the South African Minister of Employment and Labour.
Purpose of TERS
- TERS was created and instituted to help workers who have suffered in any form due to the emergence of Covid-19
- TERS aims at assisting businesses entities who suffered on the back of Covid-19 and for that reason are unable to pay their staff
Who Is Eligible For TERS?
- Only employers who have registered with UIF can benefit from TERS
- Employees who unfortunately were laid off because of Covid-19 and have not been paid, employees who are receiving half salaries can benefit from TERS
- Employers who as a result of Covid-19 have been forced to close down their businesses or part of their businesses for three months or less
Who Can Submit A Claim?
- An employee can submit a claim on behalf of their employer
- An Association can submit a claim on behalf of their members
Documents Required to Submit a Claim at TERS
- Applicants are supposed to submit a letter of authority wherein it is from an official company letterhead. This is to grant permission to the individual who is lodging the claim on behalf of the company
- A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) thus a completed agreement between the three parties thus UIF, the Bargaining Council and the Employer
- A specified template will be used to ask for crucial information from the employer
- Proof of payment of employee salaries for the last three
- A bank statement from the latest bank
- Applicants must note that all of these documents will go through the processes of verification
TERS Application Process
- Following getting all the required documents ready, an applicant can then proceed to the submission stage
- All the documents can now be submitted to this email address Covid19UIFclaims@gov.za
- After a successful application, the applicant will be sent an email to confirm the registration. Following that, they will be sent a message as to whether they have been accepted into the scheme or rejected
- Payment of the benefit will only be effective after the MOA is signed between the Fund and the said employer or bargaining council
- To download the forms, kindly visit this link: https://form.typeform.com/to/ID2B0H?typeform-source=covid19ters.typeform.com
TERS Payment Status
To check your TERS payment status, follow these simple steps;
- First and foremost, click on this link to direct you to the TERS payment status page https://uifecc.labour.gov.za/covid19/paymentStatusJsp
- You will be given a unique Captcha. Enter it in the space provided
- Proceed to select the lockdown period you are due to receive your benefit
- Enter your identification number or passport number
- Proceed to view your status
What Is UIF?
UIF stands for Unemployment Insurance Fund. It is a fund that has been instituted to provide relief on a short-term basis to people who because of maternity, adoption, parental leave, or illness can no longer work or are unemployed persons.
Who Qualifies For UIF
To enjoy the benefits that come with UIF, you must first register as a job seeker. Following that, you qualify for the benefits if and when any of the following happens;
- The moment you become unemployed, you qualify for it
- Six months following the termination of your employment, you qualify as well
- In a case where your employer terminates your employment, you can apply as well
- In a case where you voluntarily resigned from your job, you do not qualify
- Again, if you were suspended from your work, you cannot qualify
- And importantly, the benefits of UIF will only be made available to you if and only if you contributed to UIF while you worked
How To Register For UIF Covid-19 TERS
To register for UIF is quite simple.
- Visit the official website of UIF at https://uifecc.labour.gov.za/covid19/loginJsp
- Fill and complete the form with the required information
- Proceed to register
- Following successful registration, you can now log in with your username and unique password
What Is the Amount Received by UIF Contributors Per Month?
Effective from January 2022, the minister of finance increased the monthly remuneration of the UIF contribution from R14, 872 to R17, 712. It means that each contributor may be receiving an amount of R177.12 at the end of the month.
How To Claim UIF TERS
There are two ways to claim your UIF benefit.
- You can either go to the nearest labor office to make your claims by clicking on this link to find the nearest office OR
- Registering and claiming the benefit online- Visit this LINK to proceed
What Is Needed To Claim UIF Benefits?
To claim your benefits, you need to have the following;
- A 13 digit barcoded identification document
- You need to make a copy of your payslip for the last six months
- A certificate of service from your employer
- A set of information that will be provided by your employer
- A proof that you have registered as a job seeker
- Your completed registration form
UIF and UICA are available for everyone to apply and contribute except for;
- All people who work less than 24 hours in a month for their employer
- Students or learners
- Public servants
- All foreigners who are working in South Africa on a contract basis
- Workers who are on government pension plans
- All workers who are on commission
Does It Take Long For UIF To Pay Out?
It typically does not take long for UIF to payout. Once your application process has been delivered, a message will be sent to you to confirm that you have been approved or otherwise and you will be told when to submit your payment request form.
Once that is done, the first payment will hit your bank account within two to four days tops. You can equally claim within the six months after your last employment.