UIF resumes Ters payments

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is resuming the payment of Covid-19 Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) benefits from today.

Ters aims to put cash in the hands of workers to shield them from the worst effects of the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

“We plan a payment run for all outstanding payments for April, May and June 2020 on Monday and Tuesday.

“After that, we plan to run payments for the 1 July to 15 August 2020 period from 23 to 26 September 2020,” said acting UIF commissioner Marsha Bronkhorst.

The two-week halt of payments came as the fund was responding to observations from the auditor-general (AG) highlighting lax controls.

“The AG’s report guided the UIF on the steps to ensure that only deserving recipients benefit from Ters cash disbursements.

“We are aware that many workers around the country have been placed on the back foot as a result of the need to ensure that our systems stand up to scrutiny, as we close the gaps identified by the auditor-general,” she added.

Covid-19 Ters benefit applications for March to end May 2020 will close on Friday, while the benefit applications for June will close on 15 October. Applications for July to 15 September will close on 30 October.

According to the fund, no further applications will be accepted beyond these closing dates. However, the closing dates will not affect claims that have already been submitted, as they will be settled once all outstanding information is submitted. – SAnews.gov.za