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Assisting Employees with UIF Claims

What benefits can an employee apply for?

The UIF provides the following benefit types:

  • Unemployment Benefits
  • Reduced Working Time Benefits
  • Maternity Benefits
  • Illness Benefits
  • Adoption Benefits

Applications

Via uFiling

To apply for benefits online via uFiling, the following documents are generally needed, depending on which category of benefits the employee is applying for:

  • Individual UI-19 form
  • UI-2.7 form outlining remuneration whilst in employment
  • 13-digit bar-coded RSA identity document or valid passport
  • Medical certificate (for Illness Benefit)
  • A letter from the employer confirming shutdown (for Reduced Working Time)
  • Salary schedule (may be requested for claims)*

*Salary schedules are not a requirement for UIF claims; however, if the Department of Employment and Labour has any concerns regarding conflicting or missing information, they may request a salary schedule to confirm an employee's information.

Employers are required to assist employees by completing the UI-19 and UI-2.7 forms. SimplePay generates the UI-19, UI-2.7, and salary schedule forms for you to make this process easier. More information on this is available on the Ending an Employee’s Service help page.

The process for applying for benefits via uFiling is outlined in this document from the Department of Employment and Labour.

At a branch

If employees will be applying for UIF at a branch, they will be required to submit the following forms in addition to the forms listed above:

  • UI-2.8 confirming banking details
  • UI-2.1 application for unemployment benefits
  • UI-2.2 application for illness benefits
  • UI-2.3 application for maternity benefits
  • UI-2.4 application for adoption benefits

These can be downloaded from the UIF’s website here.