Urgent update: COVID-19 Temporary Employer / Employee Relief Scheme (“TERS”) deadlines and delay in payments

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

On 15 September 2020 the Department of Employment and Labour published a statement regarding the new deadlines for TERS applications and the delay in payments (“statement“).

According to the statement, deadlines for the TERS applications have been extended. No applications will be accepted beyond the new deadline dates. Claims which have already been submitted will not be affected by the deadline.  

The new dates are the following: 

1. March 2020 to May 2020, applications close on 25 September 2020;
2. June 2020, applications close on 15 October 2020; and
3. July to 15 September 2020, applications close on 30 October 2020.

The statement also notes that the TERS payments are currently still on hold. This is due to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (“UIF“) working with the Department of Home Affairs and other government databases to verify the identity documents in those who applied for the benefit.

The full statement may be accessed at: http://www.labour.gov.za/unemployment-insurance-funds-announces-new-closing-dates-for-covid-19-ters-benefit-payments.