UIF team to visit NC employers

EMPLOYERS in the Northern Cape can expect a visit from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) this week.

The Department of Labour said that a UIF team would conduct a door-to-door campaign, targeting the areas of Olifantshoek, Postmasburg, Lime Acres and Danielskuil, this week to assess the level of compliance with the Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA) and the Unemployment Insurance Contribution Act (UICA).

The campaign is also meant to promote online declarations through ufiling, for which the team will assist employers on all aspects of registration and compliance as well as to resolve UIF enquiries.

“These door-to-door campaigns are essential in ensuring that the Department of Labour keeps in touch with the employers and employees and assesses the quality of services it renders, whilst it promotes compliance with the Unemployment Insurance Act,” said Zolile Albanie, chief director: provincial operations.

Meanwhile, the Department of Labour said that penalties are now in place to deal with employers who contravene the National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act and employers who fail to comply with the act will be named and shamed as the department will publish their names on its website.

The department said that other penalties include compelling non-compliant employers to pay the worker twice the amount that is owed for non-payment.

“There will be no hiding as the department is also undertaking a national blitz to assess levels of the NMW Act. About 1 392 inspectors will criss-cross the country to monitor compliance.

“A special focus of the inspection will be on the wholesale and retail sectors as they have been identified as some of the problematic sectors.

“Shaming such employers will ensure that they are recognised as people intent on defying the state. This will go on to ensure that they will not be able to do business with government,” the department’s chief for statutory services, Fikiswa Mncanca, said.

The purpose of the NMW is to advance economic development and social justice by improving