Moneyweb reports that the Unemployment Fund (UIF) has advised employers to select having the Covid-19 Ters (temporary employer/employee relief scheme) benefit paid directly into employees’ bank accounts to fast-track these payments.
This was recommended by the fund on Thursday after it confirmed that applications for Ters benefits for May were back online. This followed a damaged fibre link between the UIF offices and the State Information and Technology Agency (Sita), which prevented the platform from going live last Tuesday. UIF commissioner Teboho Maruping indicated that the Nedlac partners had given the fund the green light to pay claims directly to employees in order to avoid delays and to deal with complaints whereby employers were alleged to be withholding the money or underpaying employees.” Maruping disputed accusations that the UIF was not paying claims to foreign nationals and advised that the fund had paid up to R100 million to 23,000 foreign nationals declared on the database. Shane Johnson, a professional support lawyer at Webber Wentzel, advised that foreign nationals could apply for the benefit “if they have a work permit and they are registered as contributors to the UIF”.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Melitta Ngalonkulu at Moneyweb
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