UIF extends COVID-19 relief payments until 15 August

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UIF Commissioner Teboho Maruping.

Department of Employment and Labour says the COVID-19 TERS relief benefit scheme will be extended until 15 August 2020, in line with the extension of the Disaster Management Act by the President.

The announcement was made on 21 July 2020 during the tabling of the Department of Employment and Labour’s budget vote.

The initial response by the department through the Unemployment Insurance Fund was predicated on the extension of a safety net for millions of workers who would otherwise have been badly affected by the lockdown.

The Department had to take into consideration the fact that there are some people who are still affected by the lockdown like those in the industries that have been closed and can not be left stranded.

“The actuaries gave advice and the department took a decision to extend the relief payment scheme beyond the initial June deadline,” said the UIF Commissioner Teboho Maruping.

The benefit structure and existing criteria remain the same.

“Whilst we are considering closing the April, May and June applications at the end of July 2020; all valid applications already received for these two months will still be processed.

“Applications for June are already open for processing. Details regarding applications for July and part of August will be announced nearer to the time. We are in consultations with the social partners at National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) in this regard.” Mr Maruping said.

The extension of the relief scheme comes as the UIF has put cash in the hands of workers to the sum of R34-billion in 7.4-million payments while maintaining its normal benefits disbursements which have amounted to R4-billion in 677 000 payments to beneficiaries since March 26, 2020.