UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND PRESENTATION TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LABOUR 12 AUGUST 2003

Domestic Workers Resource Mobilization Registration campaign systems readiness Form designs policies and procedures,etc Registration campaign Publicity campaign Training

Domestics Registrations 458439 48435 111485 173417 104345 20757 Employees 536961 14095 34141 201652 217385 69688 Employers Total July June May April March

Domestics Registrations

Call Center Calls 593 211 179 580 772 791 1 690 42 445 44 135 July 42 844 54 635 97 479 June 197 939 37 083 235 022 May 188 299 27 551 215 850 April 162 439 17 866 180 305 March Lost Answered Received

Call Center Calls

Web Registrations 3011 33360 43027 TOTAL 1084 199 CORMMERCIAL 1927 33218 42828 DOMESTICS JUNE MAY APRIL

Web Registrations

Publicity Campaign Media release- registration statistics Community Radio stations advertisements Briefing to Business Women Association TV and Radio talkshows Newspaper advertisements (Sunday Times, Sunday World, Sowetan, Star, City Press, Beeld and Citizen)

Publicity Campaign Announcements SABC/ETV/MNET Distribution of pamphlets and registration forms-Shopping Malls Minister’s train ride TV/RADIO advertisements May day rally

Training-employees Free State KZN Eastern Cape Limpopo North-West Mpumalanga Training Co-ordinators 93 66 63 95 59 30 35

Constraints Complicated registration forms Call centre Staff shortages Telephone line challenges Overtime Delay in issuing reference numbers

Constraints Bad publicity Influx of applications Multiple registrations Delayed reference numbers Capacity challenges on online registrations

Successes Fax on demand Voluntary unpaid overtime 555329 registrations as at 29 July 2003 505596 domestic workers on database Online registrations Call centre registrations Multiple payment options

MATERNITY

Maternity Benefits Object: To Explore various permuntations to determine affordability of the proposed maternity scheme. (4 months with full Pay) Approach: An actuarial investigation was commissioned during 2002 and the report is in the process of finalisation and government will decide once the report has been finalised

UIF AMENDMENT BILL

Section 1 The Amendment aims to delete the definitions of “CCMA” in order to comply with changes in Section 37 , where the UIF and the Regional Appeals Committees will take over the adjudication of appeals. The CCMA will no longer have jurisdiction over UIF appeals

Section 1 cont. The Amendment aims to delete the definition of “Seasonal Worker” in order to eliminate the unintended exclusions contained in the current definition. The amendment aims to bring back into coverage those workers who are currently excluded because they worked for an aggregate period of less than 3 months

Section 3.1(b) The current legislation excludes from coverage all workers/employees who receive renumeration under a learnership agreement. The amendment aims to exclude from coverage only those employees who enter learnerships in terms of Section 18(2) of the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998 i.e. Learners who were not in the employment of the employer when the agreement was concluded.

Section 3.1(c) The amendment seeks to exclude those officers or employees as defined under Secton 1(1) of the Public Service Act,1994; in other words, Public Servants.

Section 3.1(e) Current provision provide that all employees including those in receipt of a monthly state social pension contribute to the fund, but Section 14.1(a) explicitly excludes those employees in receipt of a state social pension from accessing benefits. The amendment is aimed at eliminating this contradiction by excluding those employees in receipt of a monthly state social pension from contributing while they are unable to access benefits

Section 11 This amendment is aimed at correcting a mistake in which the Minister, instead of the Commissioner is expected in terms to the law to prepare a business plan. This amendment streamlines the provisions of this law with those of the PFMA

Section 12 The present legislation does not take into account the situation of multiple employement relationships and as a result fails to cater for those workers work for multiple employers and who in the process of their employment lose one or more jobs. The amendment addresses the above situation by insertion a new provision that recognises above situaton and brings in a concept of “partial unemployment” for those workers with multiple employers in Section 12(5) and 12(6)

Section 16(iv) This amendment is intended to bring in a provision that recognises that in the case of domestic workers, unemployment may arise as a result of the death of the employer of that domestic worker.

Sections 21,24 and 27 The current provisions in Sections 21,24 and 27 provides for two benefit regimes which were not intended. The amendment is aimed at streamlining the benefits to allow claims officers to top-up benefits for those employees who continue to receive income from their employers whilst unemployed as result of maternity, ill-health or are required by law to take adoption leave.

Section 37 This amendment is brought in to replace the jurisdiction of the CCMA over UIF matters and to provide that the Minister after consultation with the UIF Board appoint Regional Appeals Committees to adjudicate all complaints arising out of the decision of the claims officer/s.A decision by the National Appeals Committee will be final.