Call for aid as safety system shuts down

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is ready to receive claims for parental benefits, said Bernard Reisner of Cape Labour and Industrial Consultants, Gardens.

According to Mr Reisner, the UIF Commissioner, Teboho Maruping, said the fund would provide the necessary financial relief to UIF contributors so they can spend time bonding and caring for their new child.

“We have finalised the new forms and our systems have been upgraded to enable us to process the claims,” Mr Maruping said.

The UIF has already started processing claims for the new parental benefits to contributing and qualifying UIF beneficiaries.

Qualifying UIF contributors can visit any labour centre. Applicants need an identity document, birth certificate of the child with full details of parents and details of a valid bank account.

The provisions regarding parental leave should be included as an addendum in the current contracts of employment, according to Mr Reisner.

The parental leave clause states if the employee is a parent to a child, they are entitled to 10 consecutive days’ parental leave commencing from the day on which the child is born; or the date on which the adoptive order is granted, or the child is placed in their care, as an adoptive parent, by a competent court. The employee must notify the company in writing, unless they are unable to do so, of the date on which they intend taking parental leave and the date on which they intend returning to work. The employee must give notice to the company at least four weeks before they intend taking parental leave and/or otherwise as soon as is reasonably possible.

If the employee is a commissioning parent or adopting a child, they will have the rights, entitlements and obligations outlined in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)

Visit www.capelabour.co.za or email mailto:bernard@capelabour.co.za or call 021 423 3959 for more information.