UIF to finalise regulations and develop systems to implement parental and commissioning for parental benefits
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is in the process of finalising regulations and has started systems development in preparation for the implementation of Parental and Commissioning Parental benefits, as well as system changes to accommodate the amendments announced in terms of Adoption benefits.
In November 2018 President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Labour Laws Amendment Bill into Act, thus effecting amendments to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Unemployment Insurance Act of 2001. Section 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Labour Laws Amendment Act, 2018 deals with Parental, Adoption, and Commissioning of Parental Leave and related benefits.
Through these amendments, UIF contributors will have the right to claim for Parental, and Commissioning Parental benefits. “Since these are new benefits we need to upgrade our systems, develop regulations, and design new forms for processing of applications. We have already started to upgrade our systems and have initiated the process of formulating regulations, and according to our projections we should be ready to implement these benefits by September 2019,” says UIF Commissioner, Teboho Maruping.
Although some companies have started to implement parental leave in line with the Labour Laws Amendment Act, UIF will only start accepting applications and process payments once the president has promulgated the implementation date of sections 7, 8, 12, 13,15, and 16 of the Act. The payment of parental benefits by UIF will be in line with the 10 leave days granted and will be subject to credit days accumulated and 66% flat rate applicable.
The extension of coverage for Parental and Commissioning of Parental leave is aligned to UIF’s mandate of providing social security to vulnerable workers, and to our mission of delivering both financial and social relief to the right person, at the right time, every time.
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