Business for South Africa (B4SA) has welcomed Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi’s decision to further extend the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS), operated by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), to September 15.
Earlier in September, Nxesi said that with the lockdown for some industries extended to September 15, it made sense for the UIF to continue to shield workers from the worst effects of the pandemic by extending the relief payments which have placed much-needed cash into the hands of ordinary workers.
B4SA states that it appears that this extension will last until the state of disaster ends, but final confirmation on funding availability for this is still being awaited.
In addition, the organisation notes that the TERS scheme will follow the same criteria as it has to date.
However, all payments by the UIF have currently been suspended, and B4SA is awaiting updated information on when payments will resume, and until when claims under the extension may be lodged.