What is UIF
When employees lose their jobs or are unable to work due to illness, maternity, adoption, or parental leave, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) provides them with temporary relief. Additionally, it offers assistance to a contributor’s dependents who have passed away.All employers are obligated to provide the UIF with information on their employees under the Unemployment Insurance Act 63 of 2001, which is governed by the constitution of South Africa. These specifics enable employers to pay the required Unemployment Insurance contribution for their employees. The contribution is typically equal to 2% of the employee’s salary. Both the company and the employee put in 2%.
Not all workers, not covered by unemployment insurance. Public servants, students, commission-based workers, and individuals who work no more than 24 hours per month are a few of these employees.Foreigners working under contract who want to return to their home countries after the contract is completed are another group that does not contribute to UIF. Additionally, employees who will receive a pension in their later years do not make UIF contributions.
uFiling
The uFiling online service was introduced by the Department of Labour in 2012 to shorten lengthy lines at centers throughout South Africa. The online tool intends to make it simpler for employers to verify the status of their staff without having to visit labor department offices in person. The system will inform staff members of the value and advantages of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
You can submit your UIF requests and make your monthly UIF contributions securely online for FREE with uFiling. It enables hassle-free completion and submission of monthly UIF declarations and safe payment of UIF contributions by both employees and employers.
What are the benefits of uFiling?
You can safely submit your UIF requests and make payments for your monthly UIF contributions using the FREE online tool known as uFiling. Both employers and workers can use it to easily and securely make UIF contributions and complete and submit monthly UIF declarations.
- uFiling is a FREE service offered by the UIF
- UIF returns can be done simply and conveniently online
- Other benefits include ease of secure payments (Debit Order and Credit Push via Internet Banking) and faster processing times
- uFiling is paperless and submission of declarations is instant and reliable
What is the cost for the uFiling Service?
Utilizing the uFiling service is free. Although uFiling is a free service, if you want to pay for your UIF contribution liability using one of the payment methods, your bank will still charge you the agreed-upon transaction fee.
Check if you are registered for UIF
Retrenchments are a frequent occurrence these days, so it’s important checking in with your employer to make sure you won’t be abandoned if you get laid off and can’t find a job. Is your company giving the UIF the money they withhold from your paycheck each month? Do you have any UIF registrations? You can check as demonstrated by Scorpion Legal Protection.
It’s crucial to remember that not everyone is eligible for UIF. Only those who made contributions to the Fund while they were employed are eligible to receive UIF benefits, which is why it is such a serious issue when employers fail to transfer funds. UIF is also only available to people who were fired or laid off without cause. If you’ve quit, been put on administrative leave, or fled the office, you cannot file for UIF. You must sign up on the UIF website to be eligible for benefits (some DOL centres may still use physical forms that you can get at their offices). Within a year of your work ending, you must apply for UIF benefits.
How can I check if I am registered for UIF?
To check online:
- Go to www.ufiling.co.za
- Click on register
- Depending on if you chose to email or SMS, follow the instructions they send you
- Answer the UIF verification questions. These are to make sure you are who you say you are
- Fill in the personal details they ask you for
- Log in to the UIF website using the details you just set up
- Once your profile is active, go to the ‘Employment’ tab and click on ‘View My UIF contributions.
- Click on the button that says ‘Get Declarations’. This will open a new screen with many months listed. It will not show the exact amount that was contributed. Under each month there should be information about your pay for that month listed in green. This means that the employer is paying over your UIF deductions. If the information is grey, it means that the information is still pending and you will have to wait and check back later to get confirmation. If it says ‘No Information’ in red under the month, then it means your employer did not pay over your UIF contribution for that month.
Alternatively, you can go in person to the local Labor Department location. Your ID number and UIF registration number should be requested by the clerk. You can seek help here if you don’t know your UIF number. They will be able to determine if you have a UIF registration and whether your company has been paying extra contributions. You must notify the Department of Labour if you discover that your employer has not registered you with the UIF. You don’t have to do this in person; you can get in touch with them via their website or by dialing 080 003 0007.
When will I start receiving my UIF money?
Within eight weeks of registering, assuming everything goes as planned, you should begin receiving your UIF benefit money. The monies will then be transferred into your bank account every four weeks until they are all used up. A paper indicating how much money you have received and how much is still available will also be given to you.
Are there any other benefits I can claim from UIF?
Four other types you can claim for
Illness benefits: You may qualify if you have two weeks of booked time off but are unable to work due to illness. The benefits will start to be paid on the day that you quit working.
Maternity benefits: While on maternity leave, you have the right to make a claim. You can claim for up to 17 weeks of your pregnancy. You have six weeks to file a claim if you experience the unfortunate loss of a pregnancy. Fathers will also be able to receive up to 66% of their earnings from the UIF and 10 days of leave once the paternity leave amendments are officially passed into law.
Adoption benefits: You may be eligible for benefits if the adopted child is under two years old and you are getting less money while on adoption leave. Please take note that only one parent may apply for adoption benefits at this time.
Death benefits: If the deceased contributed to a UIF fund, the surviving spouse or minor child may file a claim for death benefits.
How to check UIF payout online
Fortunately, you no longer have to visit the UIF offices in person and stand in a long queue to find out if your claim is being processed. The only thing you have to do is go to www.ufiling.co.za, login, and then select “My Status.” To find out where you are in the procedure, you just need to follow the directions displayed on the screen. For security purposes, you will be required to input a Captcha number in addition to your UIF reference number. You must first register with uFiling if you haven’t already.
Or, let’s say you’d rather not create a profile with uFiling. You can also adopt a more traditional strategy in this situation and send an email to ask for information regarding the status of your UIF claim. You must remember to include your name, ID number, and UIF registration number in the body of your email. email to BCP@labour.gov.za is possible.
What amount must be contributed to the UIF?
- An employee and his/her employer must each contribute one percent of the employee’s income to the UIF.
- An employer is responsible to deduct these contributions monthly. If an employer does not deduct these contributions, s/he will be held personally liable to pay it over to the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
- Benefits paid to the employee by the UIF may not be attached by any court order, except if the attachment is as a result of the employee failing to pay maintenance to his/her dependants. Benefits paid to the employee by the Unemployment Insurance Fund may also not be set off against any of his/her outstanding debt.
- There is no tax payable on these benefits.
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