UIF TERS: From Monday, here’s who can claim for July and August

For those of us relying on the UIF TERS scheme to keep us above water, there is some good news to report. The benefit will now allow applications for the past two months to begin next week.

When can I apply for UIF TERS from July and August?

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) will open and begin processing applications for July and August Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) benefits from Monday, 17 August.

This project has paid out billions to workers who have been prevented from doing their jobs as a result of the pandemic. With South Africa on the brink of moving to Level 2 lockdown, it’s believed that these claims will soon be very limited. However, July and August still saw millions of employees left without work.

For retrospective applicants, you need to be aware that September 15 is the last date you can claim from the UIF TERS scheme for a loss of earnings reported in either April or May. The application process itself remains the same for all beneficiaries, and bank verifications will stay in place before payments are made.

The following people can make claims from Monday 17 August

It’s worth noting that the applications for the past six weeks (including August) won’t be a free-for-all. Certain conditions must be met by those hoping to secure their payments, and they will only apply to workplaces that were forbidden from operating under the State of Disaster rules. The new directives cover employees whose employers are:

• Not permitted to commence operations under the Disaster Management Regulations.
• Unable to make alternative arrangements for vulnerable workers, such as working from home or taking special occupational health and safety measures to protect them.
• Unable to make use of their services because of operational requirements caused by compliance with regulations and directions such as rostering, the staggering of working hours, short time, and the introduction of shift systems.