Sonja Vorster
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) caters for more than just the unemployed employee who lost their employment due to circumstances other than resigning from their employment or from absconding.
READ MORE: LABOUR BUZZ: Is a ‘lie detector’ test legal?
The fund provides several other benefits to the employee. It is these other benefits that Labour Buzz will be reporting on this week.
It is a legislated requirement that the employer registers any employee that works and is paid for more than 24 hours per month. I have heard many times in the past that the employee refuses to be registered. It is not a choice for either party.
GET YOUR BUSINESS LISTED HERE. IT’S QUICK AND EASY! : Business Listings
It is the LAW to be registered as an employer and as an employee. This includes domestics, garden employees, farm employees, foreigners working on contract, learners, and employees that only earn commission and employees who get a monthly old age pension from the state.
Employees in receipt of an old age pension are; since 07/02/2007, no longer excluded from contributing towards UIF. And these old age pensioners do not need to stop working when they receive a pension.
They only lose the pension when they earn more than R73 800 if they are single or R 147 600 if married or have assets worth more than R1 056 000 if they are single or R2 112 000 if they are married.
You can download a cellphone application called UIF CALCULATOR SA. This application will give you a very accurate guide of what the amount is you will be entitled to when claiming UIF benefits and the duration that you would be receiving the benefits for.
READ MORE: LABOUR BUZZ: Temporary employee or not…
ADOPTION BENEFITS
You can claim if your baby is adopted under the conditions described in the Child care Act, if the child is under two-years-old, and cared for by you when you are not at work. There is one restriction in that only one spouse or partner may claim if a couple adopts a child. You can claim from the day the court orders the adoption until your benefits are used up, or you go back to work.
DEPENDANTS BENEFITS
An employee’s spouse, life partner or children have the right to claim benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) when the employee dies. Dependants must apply and will be paid at the labour centre of their choice. Dependants cannot claim if the employee got benefits from the Compensation Fund; or an unemployment fund (as defined in the Labour Relations Act); Spouses or life partners can claim when an employee dies. Dependent children can claim only if there is no spouse or life partner; or the spouse or life partner does not claim within six months of the employee’s death. Dependants must claim within six months of the worker’s death.
ILLNESS BENEFITS
Workers who become ill have the right to claim from the UIF. Workers (or their representatives) must apply and collect payments at the labour centre of their choice. Employees do not qualify if they are ill for less than 14 days or if they refuse medical treatment. An employee can only claim if they are unable to work due to their illness.
MATERNITY BENEFITS
Workers can claim maternity benefits for a period of 17 weeks. Employees who miscarry a child in the third trimester or have a stillborn child can claim maternity benefits for a period of six weeks.
Click to receive news links via WhatsApp. Or for the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
