UPDATE: COVID-19 Temporary Employer / Employee Relief Scheme (“TERS”) guideline and commencement of June applications

by Jacques van Wyk, Director; Andre van Heerden, Senior Associate; and Thabisa Yantolo, Candidate Attorney

The Department of Employment and Labour has published a Guide on how to apply for the May TERS benefit. (“Guide“).

The Guide deals with a number of issues including:

• The processes employers and employees must follow to apply for the TERS benefits;
• What to do if there has been overpayment;
• How to update banking details; and
• The required documentation from both the employer and employee in order to complete the application for the benefit.

The Guide also contains FAQs and a ‘Payment Status Guide’ which address, among others, the following issues:

• Employees not declared by the employer;
• Banking detail issues;
• Refunds; and
• Application errors which may be appear.

This guide can be accessed at: http://www.labour.gov.za/DocumentCenter/Publications/Unemployment%20Insurance%20Fund/How%20to%20Apply%20in%20May%20-%20UIF%20COVID-19TERS%20benefit%20.pdf.

In addition, the Department of Employment and Labour have announced that June applications for TERS are now open and applications may be made on the online portal at: https://uifecc.labour.gov.za/covid19/.