UIF maternity and parental pack
One of your people is having a baby. The Fund will pay them roughly two thirds of their earnings while they are off, but only once your paperwork reaches it in the right shape. Maternity claims stall more often than any other kind, and almost always on the employer’s side. We prepare that side so the money arrives while it is still needed.
Independent paperwork service. ProperSA is an independent private company, not the Department of Employment and Labour. You can complete these forms yourself at no charge. Our R590 pays for us to prepare the employer documents correctly, confirm what is payable, and give your employee a clean set to claim with.
The benefit almost nobody claims
Maternity leave is well known. Parental leave is not. Since the Labour Laws Amendment Act, the parent who is not taking maternity leave is entitled to ten consecutive days of parental leave, paid by the Fund at the same flat rate of about two thirds of earnings. It applies to fathers, to adoptive parents and to commissioning parents in a surrogacy. Most small employers have never heard of it, which means most of their staff have never claimed it, and the paperwork sits with the employer either way.
What you get for R590
- Maternity declaration setThe employer documents the Fund needs: the declaration covering the leave period, and the remuneration confirmation showing what the employee is paid while on leave, if anything.
- Parental leave set for the other parentThe same thing for the ten day parental benefit, so both parents claim what they are entitled to rather than only the obvious one.
- Leave dates worked out properlyWhen the leave may start, how the four consecutive months of maternity leave sit against the 121 day benefit, and the date the claim must be in by.
- A payment estimate before you commitWhat the Fund is likely to pay, calculated on the earnings ceiling, so your employee can plan and you are not guessing on her behalf.
- Your own position, in writingWhat you must pay, what you may pay, and how anything you do pay affects the benefit. This is where well meaning employers accidentally reduce their employee’s claim.
- A one page note for the employeeWhere to claim, what to take, and by when. They claim free, in their own name.
How it works
- 1Order and tell us the detailsWho is going on leave, what they earn, the expected date, and whether you are paying anything during the leave.
- 2We prepare the employer sideEvery document that has to come from you, completed and ready to sign, plus the dates and the payment estimate.
- 3Your employee claims with a clean fileThey lodge their own claim on UIF Online with nothing missing. Everything stays in your portal if the Fund asks again later.
Not sure this is the right one for you? Ask us first and you get a written answer within one business day.
What each parent actually gets
| Benefit | How long | Rate | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity | Up to 121 days | Flat 66% of earnings, capped at the ceiling | The birth mother, claimable from eight weeks before the due date |
| Parental | 10 consecutive days | Flat 66% of earnings, capped at the ceiling | The other parent, including fathers, adoptive and commissioning parents |
Both are capped at the earnings ceiling of R17 712 a month, so a higher earner is paid on R17 712 rather than on their full salary. Our free UIF calculator will estimate it before you order anything.
Maternity benefits do not depend on why the job ends or on credit days in the ordinary way. A woman who has contributed can claim maternity benefits even where she would not qualify for unemployment benefits, which is why it is worth checking rather than assuming.
Paying her yourself changes the claim
Many employers want to pay something during maternity leave, and that is a decent thing to do. It does interact with the benefit, though: the Fund looks at what the employee receives from you over the same period, and paying full salary can reduce or remove what the Fund pays. Paying nothing, or paying part, changes the arithmetic again.
There is no single right answer, and it is your call rather than ours. What we will do is set it out in writing before you commit, so the decision is made with the numbers in front of you rather than discovered afterwards by an employee whose money did not arrive.
What we do not do
We do not lodge the claim itself. Benefit claims are made by the claimant personally on UIF Online, in their own name, with the money paid into their own bank account. Nobody can honestly do that part for a fee, and our free claim guide walks your employee through it. What we do is every document that has to come from the employer, which is the part that stalls.
Frequently asked questions
How much does UIF pay for maternity leave?
A flat rate of about 66 percent of earnings, for up to 121 days, calculated on the earnings ceiling of R17 712 a month. Someone earning above the ceiling is paid as though they earned R17 712. Maternity is paid at a better rate than ordinary unemployment benefits, which run on a sliding scale of roughly 38 to 60 percent.
Can a father claim UIF when his baby is born?
Yes. The parent who is not taking maternity leave is entitled to ten consecutive days of parental leave, and the Fund pays at the same flat rate of about 66 percent of earnings. It applies to fathers, adoptive parents and commissioning parents in a surrogacy. It is one of the least claimed benefits in the system, mostly because employers do not know to mention it.
When can maternity leave and the claim start?
Maternity leave may begin up to four weeks before the expected date of birth, and the benefit is claimable from eight weeks before the birth. Claims should be lodged as soon as the leave starts rather than saved up, because payment runs from the application.
Does my employee still get UIF if I pay her during maternity leave?
It depends on how much you pay. The Fund takes into account what she receives from you over the same period, so full pay can reduce or remove the benefit while partial pay or no pay changes the calculation. We set out your options in writing before you decide.
Do I have to pay an employee on maternity leave?
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act gives the right to four consecutive months of maternity leave. It does not, by itself, oblige you to pay full salary for that period, which is precisely why the UIF benefit exists. Your own contract or a bargaining council agreement may say more, so check those before deciding.
Can you claim the maternity benefit for my employee?
No, and neither can anyone else legitimately. Since claims moved to UIF Online, the claimant registers in her own name with her own identity number and cellphone, and the money is paid into a bank account in her own name. What we do is the employer side, which is where claims actually get stuck.
While you are here
Maternity and parental leave entitlements are set by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 as amended by the Labour Laws Amendment Act 10 of 2018; benefits are paid under the Unemployment Insurance Act 63 of 2001 as amended. The 121 day maximum, the ten day parental benefit and the flat rate of approximately 66 percent are stated by the Department of Employment and Labour, and the contribution and benefit ceiling of R17 712 per month has applied since 1 June 2021. The Minister adjusts the ceiling from time to time, so confirm the current figure before relying on an estimate. Claims are lodged by the claimant personally; this service covers the employer’s documents only. This is administrative assistance, not legal advice.