How to Access Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Online

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) gives short-term relief to workers when they become unemployed or are unable to work because of maternity, adoption leave, or illness. It also provides relief to the dependants of a deceased contributor.

So far 59 168 employers have accessed the funds. DOL is still holding in abeyance just over R1-billion (R1 138 604 496) in funds that workers could potentially be paid, depending on the information that still needs to be furnished to the fund.

How to Access for UIF Online

Domestic Workers

To activate your domestic worker uFiling account you need to have the following documents and information available:

1. Your valid UIF reference number as supplied by the UIF when you registered.
2. Your valid 13 digit South African ID number or a valid passport number.
3. Your e-mail address where all correspondence will be e-mailed.
4. Your banking account details and valid branch code that you will nominate to be used to securely pay your UIF contributions.

A domestic worker could be a gardener, a driver or a person who looks after children, the aged, sick, frail or disabled in a private household, but not on a farm.

This is the view taken in the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act, 2002 (Act No. 4 of 2002).

Commercial

To activate you commercial uFiling account you need to have the following documents and information available:

1. Your valid UIF reference number as supplied by the UIF when you registered.
2. Your valid 13 digit South African ID number or a valid passport number.
3. Your e-mail address where all correspondence will be e-mailed.
4. Your company’s official registration name and details as provided by the Registrar of Companies which is the CK1 form for CC’s and CM1 or CM3 for Proprietary Limited companies.
5. Your banking account details and valid branch code that you will nominate to be used to securely pay your UIF contributions. For commercial employers this would normally be your company’s bank account.

A commercial employer is a legal or registered entity that employs the services of any person and remunerates that person within the guidelines as provided within the Basic Conditions of Employment.

Agents

To activate your agent uFiling account you need to have the following documents and information available:

1. A valid UIF reference number for either a domestic employer or a commercial employer that you as an agent will be acting on behalf of.
2. Your valid 13 digit South African ID number or a valid passport number.
3. Your e-mail address where all correspondence will be e-mailed.
4. As an agent acting on behalf of a commercial employer you will need the company’s official name and details as provided by the Registrar of Companies, which is the CK1 form for CC’s and CM1 or CM3 for proprietary limited companies.
5. The bank account details and valid branch code that will be nominated to pay UIF contributions. For agents this would be the agent’s bank account. Alternative bank accounts are provided for once you have activated your uFiling account.

An agent is a uFile user who has activated a uFiling account on behalf of another person or employer and uses uFiling on behalf of that person or employer and has a written mandate from that person or employer to act on their behalf.

Employee

To activate your employee account you need to have the following documents and information available

1. Your valid 13 digit South African ID number.
2. Your e-mail address where all correspondence will be e-mailed.

As an online registered employee you will be able to securely submit your Application for Benefits (for Unemployment, Maternity, Illness and Adoption), to submit Continuation of Payment and Notice of Appeal

An employee can register on the employee portal if the employer has been accredited by the UIF. This portal will allow the Employee to securely submit forms to the UIF electronically.

UIF Forms and Guides:

You can now view and download application forms, claim forms, reports, and samples of employment documents with “how to use” instructions for each form.

The Department of Labour has also added various templates that you are now able to download and use.

Please consult the uFiling System User Guide for step-by-step instructions.

System Security:

The UIF uFiling site is secured using the highest forms of browser security available today and is secured by Verisign. uFiling users simply need to check they are on the correct website address and look for the lock symbol on their browser.

All information provided by uFiler users is kept confidential and will be securely stored as to provide a high level of security for the employer.

It is important that employers log in online and access our easy to follow claiming procedures at https://uifecc.labour.gov.za/covid19/

The UIF benefit is between 38 – 58% of your salary (up to a maximum of R12478). For example: If your salary is R12478 or more, you will receive R155. 89 per day (about R4676 p.m.). You cannot receive more than this maximum amount.

The fund pays a percentage of the wage/salary that you earned while you were contributing to it.

The highest amount that can be paid is 58% of what you earned per day. The amount that you will be paid is determined differently, depending on the amount of your monthly salary.

Payment duration

This whole process can take up to three hours. Your first payment will be paid into your bank account within two to four days after you have signed the register.