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By Jonisayi Maromo 
9h ago
PRETORIA – Employment and Labor Minister Thulas Nxesi warned employers on Friday that they have received benefits from the government’s Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Covid-19 temporary relief plan for employers / employees, but that they are not transferring the money to the workers.
“I want to state categorically that this is inhumane and that employers who withhold funds from workers must release the payments immediately. We are in the midst of a global pandemic that has brought countries’ economies to their knees, ”said Nxesi.
“Workers are the most affected by this inevitable eventuality. The worst thing you can do as an employer is withhold funds from workers. ”
Nxesi described this practice as “callous and callous” to the needs of workers, especially when many people face financial difficulties due to the blockade imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus in South Africa.
The Employment and Labor Department said the FIU has been inundated with calls from workers complaining that employers have not paid their benefits despite receiving funds on behalf of employees.
Nxesi said the FIU system has been updated to allow employees to check the status of claims filed by their employers. Employees can access their employers’ records by entering their identification number.
Employees will be able to see how much the company has been paid and the specific amount they have been paid as an employee.
“We have companies that misrepresent us to their workers and the public. For example, we were indicted by a company in Eastern Cape Unibisco when its workers demanded their money that we have not paid them.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. Our records indicate that this company was paid a total of R539,595 on April 24 to pass on to its workers,” Nxesi said.
The call for companies to transfer benefits to workers comes when the FIU has disbursed almost R11 billion in relief benefits. This amount is intended for the benefit of 1,924,060 employees through 156,831 employers.
Other payments have been made through the bargaining councils for 56,641 employees represented by 909 employers. They have been paid over R155 million.
The full list of companies that have been paid by the FIU is available at www.uifecc.labour.gov.za/covid19. The FIU can also be contacted at the toll free number 0800 030 007.
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