Unemployment Insurance Fund hosts seminar and media networking session on new UIF Act

Banner of the National Department of Labour together with the South African flag

20-February-2019

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), an entity of the Department of Labour, will be hosting a seminar with the private security sector in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, on Friday 22 February 2019.

The purpose of the session is to unpack and engage workers and employers in the private security sector about the Unemployment Insurance Act which was amended and came into effect on 1 January 2019.

Some of the amendments in the Act include:

- Workers can claim for up to 365 days instead of 238 if they worked for a continuous four-year period;

- Contributing workers undergoing learnership training will be eligible for unemployment benefits once their contract ends;

- Benefits are paid from date of unemployment instead of the application date;

- Workers will have 12 instead of 6 months to claim for unemployment benefits;

- Maternity benefits will be paid at a 66% fixed rate; and

- An application for maternity benefits must be made prior to the birth of the child or within 12 months.

The Department of Labour will also present on the National Minimum Wage which came into effect on 1 January 2019 while the Compensation Fund (CF) will deliberate on the proposed amendments to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COID) bill.

A media networking session/media briefing will be held after the seminar.

Details of the session are as follows:

Date: Friday 22 February 2019

Venue: Lydenberg Community Hall

Time: 9am

-ENDS-

Media enquiries:

Makhosonke Buthelezi

UIF Director: Communication and Marketing

071 491 7236

Issued by:

Department of Labour Spokesperson

Teboho Thejane

082 697 0694