Employment and Labour reduces normal benefit claims backlog as festive season approaches
UIF reduces normal benefit claims backlog as festive season approaches
As the festive season approaches, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has drastically reduced the backlog of normal benefit claims submitted via the uFiling system from 111 000 in September 2021 to at least 28 000 applications in November 2021.
The figure continues to decrease daily, as clients make corrections and submit missing information and claims are paid to ensure that workers are able to meet their financial obligations and put food on the table during and beyond the festive period.
The reduction of the backlog comes on the back of the Fund having decentralised the processing of online claims from UIF head office in Pretoria to the provinces. This has assisted in fast tracking processing and payment of claims.
“Despite this drastic reduction of the backlog, we still experience challenges with claims that are submitted without the mandatory UI.19 forms that employers are supposed to submit every 7th day of every month.
“If employers were compliant by submitting declarations as required by the Unemployment Insurance Act, many claims will be processed within 15 days as per our standard,” said UIF Acting Commissioner, Advocate Mzie Yawa.
The Fund is also making a clarion call to applicants to correct errors on their claims and submit the missing information to permit our officials to pay.
Common reasons for incomplete claims include:
Termination dates are not captured on UI.19 forms.
Client’s banking information and details differ from that of the Department of Home Affairs (clients must submit UI.2.8 and UI.49 forms).
Requests for payments are submitted before a claim is approved (request for payments must be submitted after a claim is approved).
Salary Schedules, Medical Certificates and Leave Income (UI.2.7 form) are not uploaded for illness and Maternity Benefits.
The Fund would also like to inform clients that from 1 December 2021, everyone receiving normal benefit payments must submit a completed and signed continuation form at their nearest labour centre or https://ufiling.labour.gov.za/uif/ monthly. The UI.6 form is critical because it triggers the actual payment after the application is approved.
Mzie Yawa has commended UIF officials for their unwavering commitment and dedication to process and pay claims despite the constant challenges and risks of Covid-19.
“Since the onset of Covid-19, our officials have been working rigorously even overtime in the last few months to guarantee that our clients receive their normal benefit payments during these uncertain times. This is over and above the additional work we have been seized with of processing and paying the Covid-19 Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Covid-19 TERS) and, lately, the Workers Affected by Unrest: (WABU) Temporary Financial Relief Scheme.
“Despite the overwhelming work and limited resources, our service delivery and backlog plans are yielding significant results and we are committed to quickly finishing the backlog of all incomplete claims. Therefore, I urge employers to urgently fix their incomplete claims so we can process and pay them with speed,” said Yawa.
Source: Government of South Africa