If any domestic worker employed by you works more than 24 hours per month, you must register them with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and as of the 1st of March 2021 with Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA).
- Registering a domestic worker is every employers responsibility and must be done as soon as employment begins.
- Failing to do so and contribute to UIF and COIDA is illegal and could lead to fines and, imprisonment or both.
Who is considered as a domestic worker?
Domestic workers are employees who perform domestic work in and around (24 hours per month or more) the home of their employer, and includes:
- Gardeners
- Domestic drivers
- Persons who look after children (nannies), the aged, sick, frail or disabled in a private household.
- Does not include farm workers.
How to be compliant?
To be compliant, employers not only need to register their employees for UIF but must also meet the other requirements stipulated in Sectoral Determination 7 – Domestic Workers such as:
- Contract of employment
- Method of time-keeping
- Overtime and Sunday time remuneration
- Recording of all leave types and provision of payslips.
COIDA registration is another aspect of non-compliance starting from 1 March 2021.
What are the types of employee benefits paid in terms of the Act?
UIF Benefits
- Unemployment benefits – A worker who contributed to the fund and whose employment has been terminated can claim. You can not claim if you resign from your job.
- Illness benefits – A worker who is unable to work because of ill health can claim for 6 months.
- Death benefits – If a worker who contributed to the fund dies, their dependents can claim.
- Adoption benefits – A worker who contributes to the fund and who is adopting children below 2 years of age, can claim if they take unpaid leave to look after the child.
- Maternity benefits – A worker who is pregnant can claim maternity benefits before and after the child is born.
COIDA Benefits
- Temporary total disablement (TTD)
- Permanent disablement lump sum
- Permanent disablement pension
- Funeral expenses payable to dependents of a deceased employee with a date of death before 1 April 2019
- Funeral benefits payable to deceased employees with the date of death of 1 April 2019 and after
- Widow’s lump sum award
- Widow’s pension award
- Child pension award
- Partial dependency award
- Wholly dependency award
- Bursaries for youth
- Return to work Programme
- Assistive devices
- Rehabilitation and re-integration
- Medical claims
- Re-opening of the claim
- Chronic medication
DEC Registration package includes:
- UIF registration
- COIDA registration
- Domestic workers employment contract
- Provision of official employment payslips