UIF disputes that it’s favouring Ters benefit claimants
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) says it has not been neglecting those applying for unemployment, maternity and illness benefits since the introduction of the Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters).
Many of its members have however expressed dissatisfaction with the fund, with some not receiving payments for such claims dating far back as March 2020.
UIF spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi says the fund’s only challenge is that it has not been able to operate at full staff capacity due to the lockdown regulations, adding that it has paid more than R6 billion in normal benefits to over a million beneficiaries since the lockdown was implemented.
“The UIF has not sidelined normal claims,” says Buthelezi.
“There are restrictions as to how many employees could be at the workplace during the lockdown, therefore, just like any employer, we adhere to the one-third rule as outlined in the regulations and that affects our ability to service our clients 100%.”
He advises applicants whose claims have not yet been processed, as well as those who wish to submit new applications, to visit Department of Labour offices from Monday (September 21), as they will be fully operational under Alert Level 1.
He points out that there is however still a limit on the number of clients permitted inside the offices at a time.
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