There’s been a lot of controversy and debate around the rules and regulations of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) since the beginning of the national lockdown.
With more retrenchments and job losses looming, many people are wondering what their rights are and what the correct processes are to follow. And why does it all seem so complicated?
Today I’m speaking to labour lawyer Michael Bagraim who will provide answers to some of the questions we have around UIF:
- If you are retrenched, how do you go about applying for UIF?
- How do you know how much UIF benefit you’re going to get?
- What happens if you’ve claimed before? Maybe you’ve previously been retrenched or you’ve taken maternity benefits – would that also impact what you can claim now?
- People don’t always realise that they have to submit for continuation of payment. Don’t you have to keep proving that you’re still unemployed?
I hope this video clears up some of the questions you may have about your rights and the process of claiming from the UIF.
I was made to retire end Dec 2021. I have been trying unsuccessfully to apply for UIF. I am not registered as an employee. Who should register me as an employee company I worked for, for 14 years or should I have registered if so …..how?
You cannot claim for UIF if you have retired, only if you have been retrenched – ie: are actively looking for work
Hi Maya,
I came across your page when I was looking for an answer to my UIF questions & I really hope you can help me.
I was retrenched last year August & I received my UIF benefit up until December, when I registered my own business. I work as consultant doing debtors, creditors & payroll for other businesses, however I do not deduct UIF for myself & did not register for UIF again. My 2 questions, what happens to the UIF money that I didn’t claim, since I stopped with my Continuation of Benefit & was I supposed to stop my UIF benefit.?
Thank you & stay safe,
Juanita
This is the response from labour laywer Michael Bagraim:
. In essence the UIF is an insurance fund specifically structured to help out people who get dismissed, retrenched, retired or leave due to ill health. It is not a saving account and certainly does not belong to the individual who has been contributing for many years if they can’t claim in terms of the rules. The monies that aren’t claimed go into the overall pot which is invested in the public investment corporation and is used for future claims such as we had during the pandemic. It appears that the reader is not an employee but now works for him or her self. A worker other than an employee does not contribute to the UIF.
many of the people who were employed through either a CC or a Pty Ltd and sometimes a partnership were able to at least claim the UIF. I am aware of some parties who were self employed but registered themselves in any event for UIF which they could do.