Business for South Africa (B4SA), the grouping representing all major South African business organisations in respect of the Covid-19 disaster, has welcomed the agreement finalised between government, business and labour at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) on the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS).

The notices based on the agreement have been signed by Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi and await imminent gazetting.

The TERS will be funded through accumulated reserves of the UIF.

In addition, the benefits are subject to the terms of the memorandum of understanding or standard terms, which have also been published.

Benefits are available to all employees who are, along with their employers, contributors to the UIF, where the employer has closed its operations, or part of its operations, as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and where an employee has suffered, or will suffer, a loss of earnings.

The amount of the benefit will be based on a sliding scale amounting to 38% to 60% of earnings up to a set threshold.

The benefit per employee is based on gross earnings and length of employment. A benefit calculator will be available on the Department of Employment and Labour's website.

The benefits will be available for a period of up to three months. The maximum amount of the Covid-19 TERS monthly payment will be R6 730.

The minimum benefit will be R3 500 a month.

To limit the complexity of administration, any business employing more than ten people will be entitled to apply for the TERS benefit on behalf of its workforce.

Bargaining councils will also be entitled to apply on behalf of employees represented by the council. In companies with fewer than ten employees, the employees themselves will be able to apply.

The applying employer or employer group is required to pay the benefit to employees within 48 hours of receiving the monies from the UIF. The UIF will have the right to audit any applying company.

Employers may supplement these benefits, but the maximum that an employee may receive from the UIF and their employer combined is 100% of their salary.

The employer must apply by reporting the total or partial closure to covid19ters@labour.gov.za. The employer will receive an automatic response outlining the application process and the documents and information that is required.

A detailed set of questions and answers on the TERS scheme can be found on the B4SA website at https://www.businessforsa.org/c-19-ters-benefit-what-you-need-to-know/.