Although TERS is administered by the UIF Commission, TERS benefits and UIF benefits are distinctly different. Each have their own eligibility requirements and the calculation of the benefits under each differ.
- UIF benefits are for those individuals who are unemployed or who are temporarily unable to work for reasons other than the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g. maternity leave, dismissal for poor performance, long-term illness)
- TERS benefits are for those individuals who are temporarily unable to work or who are unable to work at normal capacity due to the COVID-19 lockdown period. TERS provides relief for those whose income has been impacted by COVID-19.
Can an individual claim both?
Individuals cannot claim both UIF and TERS benefits. Therefore, if an individual has applied for UIF benefits for maternity leave, they should not be included in the employer’s TERS application.
Should we apply for TERS or UIF?
The UIF Commission has indicated that employees who are retrenched or on reduced working time should receive TERS benefits rather than UIF benefits until further notice. This is to lessen the administrative strain on the UIF, as TERS requires applications to be submitted by employers on behalf of all qualifying employees, whereas UIF relies on individual UIF applications from employees.
Does TERS impact UIF benefits?
Claiming TERS has no impact on UIF credits. Any UIF benefits that you may be entitled to are unaffected by the receipt of TERS benefits.