UIF red tape: 'I'm back at work and still haven't been paid out maternity claim'

In a heated exchange, UIF's Allan Ragavaloo tells Bruce Whitfield it's illegal to use a professional company to help with a claim.

Employees' contributions to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) are deducted from their salaries every month.

The system should provide some peace of mind come your time of need, but horror stories of inefficiency and failed claims abound during the Covid pandemic.

Journalist Ilze-Marie le Roux (former Eyewitness News reporter) has her own red tape nightmare to relate.

She's been trying to claim maternity benefits for months, to no avail.

Le Roux writes on Twitter: "I’ve been a tax paying citizen since my early 20s. My son is 6 months old. I’m yet to receive a single cent from my maternity claim."

The "daunting" paperwork convinced her to utilise the services of UIF assistance company Sweet Dreamz.

Bruce Whitfield finds out what went wrong on The Money Show.

It's really a hefty stack of documents you have to fill in... You have to run between employers and banks and the post office...

Ilze-Marie le Roux, UIF claimant

You expect a reaction in six to eight weeks, but in my case (and for many others) it's been simply months upon months... I've returned back to work by now and I'm still waiting for the claim to be paid out!

Ilze-Marie le Roux, UIF claimant

I submitted my claim on the 12th of November last year. This morning I received an SMS saying that my claim had been unsuccessful... I eventually found an email in my junk folder stating that there are two documents missing.

Ilze-Marie le Roux, UIF claimant

Le Roux says she found Sweet Dreamz very efficient and the company has assured her that the documents in question were submitted. (She re-submitted them on Wednesday, "just in case".)

Whitfield follows up with the UIF's Allan Ragavaloo (Director: Provincial Support).

Ragavaloo goes into the detail of the information and documents required for an application.

You've got to look at application before, and look at the application after, and you've also got to look at the process in between.

Allan Ragavaloo, Director: Provincial Support - UIF

[Falling through the cracks] is only acceptable if there's genuine reason for non-payment.

Allan Ragavaloo, Director: Provincial Support - UIF

A professional services company is not part of the process! If you are using a professional company it is illegal, because the Act says you cannot use a third party to lodge an application.

Allan Ragavaloo, Director: Provincial Support - UIF

They are charging, and the Act says you cannot charge... The unemployment benefit is there for the individual...

Allan Ragavaloo, Director: Provincial Support - UIF

Listen to the explanation during a heated exchange on The Money Show:

More from Business

More from Local

More from Lifestyle