UIF Extends Operating Hours to Meet Increased Demand
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has announced that selected service points will be open on Saturdays to render services to clients and employers during the month of September. This move comes in anticipation of increased demand for real-time services, following an interim interdict issued by the Pretoria High Court in August 2024.
The uFiling platform, an online platform used by clients and employers to apply for UIF benefits or to register companies with the UIF, declare employees, and pay over contributions to the Fund, has been suspended due to a lack of support and maintenance. Despite this, the UIF has processed over 181,000 claims at service points around the country, totaling a payout of R419,607,185.
To meet the increased demand, the UIF will extend its operating hours from 07:30 to 16:00 at service points within labour centres in various provinces, including the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West, and Western Cape.
Employers can register new companies through BizPortal, available on https://www.bizportal.gov.za/services.aspx. However, employee registration can only be done at a nearby labour centre. Registration can also be done by downloading UI.8 and UI.19 forms from www.labour.gov.za and submitting the completed forms to the email address newui8registrations@labour.gov.za.
Employers with electronic payroll systems can declare their employees by sending live payroll files to the email address Declarations@labour.gov.za or by visiting a nearby labour centre for services. In the case of manual declarations, employers can download a UI.19 form from www.labour.gov.za and submit a completed form via email to uif.declarations@labour.gov.za.
Regarding contributions, employers pay 2% of an employee’s salary, with 1% deducted from the employee’s salary and 1% contributed by the employer. Contributions can be paid directly to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) or through bank details provided on the Department of Employment and Labour website www.labour.gov.za.
The UIF is confident that by extending working hours, it will be able to maintain the status quo while developing alternative online solutions for clients and employers.
