The TERS fund will continue making payments for claims made up to 15 August.
The Employment and Labour Ministry today announced the extension of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) temporary employer/employee relief scheme (TERS). Having previously announced that the scheme will not be paying claims made in July, the department has taken the decision to extend the Covid-19 TERS benefit until August 2020.
“Following due diligence and consultation with the Unemployment Insurance Fund actuaries, and in line with the President's decision to extend the life of the Disaster Management Act until 15th August, we have taken the decision to similarly extend the Covid19 Ters benefit until 15th August 2020," said Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Boitumelo Booi in a statement.
TERS relief payments have been provided ordinary workers to shield them from the worst effects of the pandemic and to ensure that their families are not pulled into abject poverty.
The Department said that the benefit structure and existing criteria remain the same, adding that they are considering closing the April, May and June applications at the end of July 2020.
“The extension of the relief scheme comes as the UIF has put cash in the hands of workers of some R34-billion in 7.4-million payments while maintaining its normal benefits disbursements which have amounted to R4-billion in 677 000 payments to beneficiaries since March 26, 2020,” said the Department in the aforementioned statement.
