SSS now accepts unemployment benefit applications online

THE Social Security System (SSS) is now ready to accept online applications for the unemployment benefit from members, who were involuntarily separated from work due to the huge impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora Ignacio said, “Job loss in times of global health crisis is one of the worst-case scenarios that we wish would never happen. However, as a pension fund, we have to anticipate these kinds of contingencies by allocating funds and providing our members with safer, faster and more convenient means of filing benefit claims and receiving their cash benefits.”

To qualify for the unemployment benefit, covered employees, including kasambahays and overseas Filipino worker (OFW) members, must have paid at least 36 monthly SSS contributions, wherein 12 months of it should have been paid within the last 18 months before the month of involuntary separation.

Reasons for involuntary separation should be due to retrenchment/downsizing, closure or cessation of business operations, and other reasons brought about by the coronavirus disease (CoVID-19) pandemic.

Furthermore, the member must not be more than 60 years old at the time of involuntary separation, except for underground and surface mineworkers, and racehorse jockeys whose age should not be more than 50 and 55 years old, respectively.

Before the online application of unemployment benefit, members should have their own My.SSS account through registration at the SSS Website. Contact details, especially the mobile number, should also be registered in My.SSS account in case the member opted to receive their benefits through remittance centers. Disbursement accounts should also be enrolled in the respective My.SSS accounts through Bank Enrollment Module (BEM).

To submit their benefit application online, members should log in to My.SSS account and click “apply for unemployment benefit claim” under the E-Services tab.

For more information, follow the official Facebook page “Philippine Social Security System” and Instagram Account “Mysssph” for further updates.