uFiling System User Guide

V1.1 uFiling System User Guide 2018

Introduction
uFiling is a free online service which completely replaces the manual declaration of monthly UIF returns
and contributions. Employers (Commercial and Domestic), Agents or Tax Practitioners can easily use
uFiling to declare and pay UIF contributions online, view all previous declarations and contributions
made, and receive notifications about future declarations.

Background
Employers are required to provide the UIF with details of all their employees every month, by not later
than the 7th of every month, as defined by the Unemployment Insurance Act 63, 2001, which excludes
non-natural persons and independent contractors. These details are added to the UIF Employee
Database in order to maintain a record of each employee’s employment history, which will form the
basis for the payment of benefits in terms of section 57 (2) of the Unemployment Insurance Act 63,
2001.

Benefits
There are many benefits to using UIF, which include:
 Submit Claims for various UIF Benefits
 Submit a request for Payment for various UIF Benefits
 View Claims History
 Submit a Notice of Appeal
 View your Employee Declaration Status
 Declare and pay UF contribution to the fund
 Verify that returns are up to date
 Submit monthly or annual returns

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Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 1
Background ....................................................................................................................................... 1
Benefits ............................................................................................................................................. 1
Chapter 1: uFiling Registration Process ............................................................................................... 3
Chapter 2: Benefit Application and Payments ...................................................................................... 8
Chapter 3: Registrations ....................................................................................................................15
3.1 Register a new Employer ..........................................................................................................15
3.2 Add an existing Employer .........................................................................................................21
Chapter 4: Declarations Manager (Manage Employees and Declarations) ..............................................23
4.1 Manage Employees and Historical Declarations ..........................................................................23
4.2 Manage Declarations ................................................................................................................28
Chapter 5: Payment History ...............................................................................................................37
Chapter 6: Employment.....................................................................................................................37
Chapter 7: Manage Profile .................................................................................................................38
7.1 Change Password .....................................................................................................................38
7.2 Banking Information ................................................................................................................38
7.3 Beneficiary Manager.................................................................................................................38
7.4 Personal Details .......................................................................................................................39

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Chapter 1: uFiling Registration Process

In order to use the uFiling website and services, you need to complete a registration process to obtain
your own unique login name and password.

Step 1
Open a browser and go to [Link] to access the home page. Click on “REGISTER” in the top
right-hand corner to review the terms and conditions for use of the Unemployment Insurance Fund
portal. You need to accept the terms and conditions and then click on “Continue” to proceed.

Step 2
Complete all the required information and click on “Register”. This will send the captured data to the
UIF for verification.

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Step 3
When you receive the activation message via your preferred method of contact, click on the link
provided to activate your account.

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Step 4
Use the username and temporary password provided in the email or SMS to log in to your new uFiling
account.

Step 5
After your first login, the system will prompt you to change your password.

Step 6
For security reasons, you will then have to complete a vetting process by confirming demographic
information about yourself, which will be compared to the data available to the Department of Labour.

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If any of the questions are answered incorrectly, a message will appear to indicate that you failed the
vetting process. Please contact uFiling Support through the “UIF Services Support”.

Step 7
Once you successfully completed vetting, you will be directed to a page where you can update your
personal details before you can proceed to the uFiling website.

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Chapter 2: Benefit Application and Payments
Individuals can apply online for the following UIF benefits on the uFiling website:
 Unemployment Benefits
 Reduced Time Benefits
 Maternity Benefits
 Illness Benefits
 Adoption Benefits

Step 1
Click on “Benefit Application and Payments” on the left, and then click on “Apply for Benefits”.

Step 2
Select which type of Benefit you want to apply for, and click on “Apply” in the bottom right corner.

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Step 3
You must accept the terms and conditions to proceed: check the tick box and click on “Next”.

Step 4
Verify your bank details and click on “Next” to continue or click on “Banking Details Incorrect?”.
Bank details may only be captured once on the uFiling system, to update new bank details, download
the UI2.8 Form from the Department of Labour website ([Link]).
One portion of the UI2.8 Form must be completed by your bank and the other portion by you. Email the
completed UI2.8 Form and your contact details to VOsupport@[Link]

Step 5
Confirm or update your personal details, including physical and postal addresses and click on “Next”.

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Step 6
Complete the information related to your occupation and qualifications, and click on “Next”.

Step 7
Update your work seeker information and click on “Submit” when you are done to send your application
to the UIF. You will receive a confirmation message if your application was successfully submitted.

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Step 8
The processes to apply for other Benefit types are the same:
 Select the type of benefit you wish to apply for
 Confirm banking details
 Confirm personal details
 Complete occupation and qualification information
 Confirm employment status
 Submit application to the UIF

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Step 9
A full record of your application history is available on the uFiling website, click on “Benefit Application
and Payments” on the left-hand side, and select “View Application History”.

Step 10
You can lodge a notice of appeal if your application for benefits was declined. Click on “Benefit
Application and Payments” on the left-hand side and select “Notice of Appeal” and click on “Next”.

Step 11
Verify or update Personal details if needed.

Step 12
Complete required information related to the declined application.

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Step 13
Click on Submit to lodge your Notice of Appeal.

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Chapter 3: Registrations
Users can register new Employers with the UIF on the new uFiling website or add existing UIF reference
numbers or employers to your uFiling profile to submit and pay declarations. You can register as a
domestic employer, a commercial employer or a labour practitioner with the UIF.

3.1 Register a new Employer

Step 1
Select which type of Employer you want to register and uFiling will display the steps to follow to
complete registration. In this example we selected a Domestic employer. Click on “Register” at the
bottom on the right once you’ve made your selection.

Step 2
Verify the domestic employer details that you wish to register. If you are not completing the registration
for yourself, you need to be a registered Labour Practitioner. You will also be asked to complete a
vetting process, verifying historical contact details below to complete the registration as Domestic
Employer on behalf of another individual. The information you may need to verify includes:
 Physical Address
 Postal Address
 Email
 Mobile number

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You can only register as a Domestic employer once with your ID number.

Step 3
Qualification Criteria: confirm employer status by selecting the “Yes” radio button and complete the
required information, then click “Next” to continue.

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Step 4
Complete personal and contact details for the new Employer.

Step 5
Add at least one employee as part of the registration process, starting with their identity number and
then click on “Retrieve”. This will send a request for the information available for that ID number at the
UIF and populate this on the next screen.

Step 6
Confirm the name and date of birth for the employee, and click on “Next” to continue.

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Step 7
Complete all required fields related to the individual’s employment, including demographic details and
salary information. Click on “Up” or on “Next” to continue to the last step.

Step 8
Add details of at least one beneficiary for your employee and click on “Add Beneficiary”. Repeat this step
to load more than one beneficiary, and then click on “Submit” to finalise the new Domestic Employer
registration.

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Step 9
You will receive an email from the Department of Labour with the UI number for the new employer
once the registration application was processed successfully.

Repeat this process for all new domestic employer registrations.

Step 10
To register a new Commercial Employer, select this option on the “Registrations – Register” page and
click on “Register” to continue.

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Step 11
Select Ownership type:

Step 12
Select an “Authorisation Type” from the options listed for the ownership type you picked. Click “Next” to
continue.

Step 13
Complete Ownership details and verify or complete address fields, then click “Next” to continue.

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Step 14
Qualification Criteria: Complete the required information and click on “Next” to continue.
Follow Steps 4 – 9 to complete the rest of the registration process for a new Commercial Employer.

3.2 Add an existing Employer

Step 1
Select “Registrations” on the right-hand menu pane and click on “Add”.

Step 2
Select “Commercial Employer” if applicable, and complete the UI reference number for the employer
before clicking on the “Add” button;
Or

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Select “Domestic Employer”; complete the employer’s ID number and UI reference before clicking on the
“Add” button.

Step 3
A system generated email will be sent to the Owner/ Director/ Member of the organisation for approval.
To track progress, click on “Registrations” on the right and select “Requests”, this will display a list of all
requests. The status next to a request will reflect as “Pending” until approved, when the status will
update to “Accepted”.

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Chapter 4: Declarations Manager (Manage Employees and Declarations)

Through uFiling, Employers (Commercial and Domestic), Agents or Tax Practitioners can easily declare
and pay UIF contributions online, view all previous declarations and contributions made, and receive
notifications about future declarations.
Simply capture or update employer and employee details when needed, including salary and
employment details, uFiling will automatically prepare and populate your monthly declarations for
review before you submit.
Please note: All information populated on the UI declarations are retrieved from the information you
captured for employer and/or employee(s). Declarations can’t be modified or edited, you need to update
or correct employer or employee details which will update the declaration in turn.

4.1 Manage Employees and Historical Declarations

Step 1
Click on “Declarations Manager” on the right, this will display a list of the Employers linked to your
uFiling profile.

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Step 2
To view or retrieve active employees for an existing employer, click on the name of that employer on
the left. This will display the Employment Summary for that employer, including an employee list and
declaration summary.

Step 3
To manage or update employee information, scroll through the employee list or use the search function
to find the relevant employee record. Click on the ‘Edit/View’ button on the right to view the
employment status and history for that individual.

 Click on the pencil icon on the right to edit employment and salary information
 Click on the trashcan icon to delete the selected employment information
 Click on Add employment Info if it was not captured previously
 Click on the Back button at the bottom to return to the employee list for the employer

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Step 4
To capture new employees, click on “Add Employee” below the employee list on the Employment
Summary page and follow the remaining steps detailed in Chapter 4.2

Step 5
Existing users may need to complete a few additional steps to retrieve historical declaration data before
processing current declarations on the new uFiling website. Click on “Declarations Manager” on the left
and click on the relevant Employer to open the Employment Summary. Click on “View Declarations”
below the table on the right.

Tip: Click on “View Issue” for a summary of possible issues with declarations. Click on View/Edit to
rectify the relevant declaration(s)

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Step 6
Click on “Calculate Declarations” to view a grid displaying a five year history of prior declarations.

If no results are displayed immediately, click on “Calculate Declarations” again.

Step 7
On the Employer Declaration screen, select the month displayed in red on the grid (click on View), and
click on Open Declaration

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Step 8
Repeat Steps 5 and 6 and select the same period as before, the Declaration values should now be
populated for the user to review.

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4.2 Manage Declarations

Step 1
Click on “Declarations Manager” on the right, this will display a list of the Employers linked to your
uFiling profile.

Step 2
To view details for a specific employer, click on the name of that employer on the left. This will display
the employee and declaration summary. On new Domestic Employer profiles, it may be necessary to
add one employee before you can view, submit, pay or amend a declaration.

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Step 3
Add full names and ID number for an employee and click on “Next”.

Step 4
Capture employment and salary information and click on “Next”.

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Step 5
You must add at least one beneficiary for each employee. Click on “Add New” to capture more.

Step 6
Capture or update demographics, including physical and postal addresses for the employee and click on
“Save” to add the employee details for the employer.
A confirmation message will display when the employee record and declaration is saved.

Step 7
From the Declarations Manager and by selecting an employer, you can:
 Add another employee by clicking on “Add Declaration”
 Review declarations before submission and payment by clicking on “View Returns” or “Edit/View”
 Add multiple employees in bulk by uploading a payroll file with additional employee information
 Pay a declaration or capture details of a Manual Payment
 Add extra bank details
 Delegate specific responsibility(ies) for an employer to a third party

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Step 8
View Returns – click on “Calculate Returns” to display a history of declarations for 5 years, with a status
reflected for each period.

If you click on “View” for any period, it will open a summary of the declaration for that period and list
options to allow you to open, view or submit the declaration.

Step 9
Once all employees and related employment and salary information is added, you are ready to submit.
Click on “Submit” to send a declaration to the UIF. A confirmation message will display after successful
submission, and the status on your declaration dashboard will update to “Submitted”.

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Step 10
Click on “Pay” next to an employer and declaration to view a list of outstanding payments.

Step 11
Click on “Pay Online For Period” to create a payment instruction or click on “Manual Payment For
Period” to capture details of alternative payment via another channel.

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In Example 1 below, “Manual Payment for Period” was selected. Capture all details of the external
payment and then click on “Submit Manual Payment”.

Step 12
In Example 2 below, “Pay Online For Period” was selected. Select a bank account from the drop-down
list and click on “Continue”.

Step 13

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Double check the details displayed of the payment you’re about to create and click on “Pay”.
Remember to log on to your banking application to approve the payment within the allowed time limit.

Step 14
If no banking details are listed, or if a new account must be added you will need to capture this before
you can finalise online payments. Click on “Add New” on the List of Bank Accounts and capture the
details of the employer’s (new) bank account. Click on “Update” to save the captured information.

Step 15
When needed, responsibility for an employer’s declaration(s) can be delegated to a third party. Complete
all the required fields, and remember to assign permissions for this delegate:
 Administrator

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  View Only
 Pay
 Capture Declarations
 View Reports
 Submit Declarations
 Capture Declaration Adjustments
Click on “Send Invitation”.

A system generated message will be sent to the delegate with an option to accept or decline the
invitation.

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Chapter 5: Payment History

The details of all electronic and manual payments are reflected on the Payment History Page. The status
listed next to each payment will update to “PAID” once the transaction is cleared.

Chapter 6: Employment

Select “Employment” on the left and click on “Employee Declaration Status” to view detail of all your
historical contributions.

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Chapter 7: Manage Profile

7.1 Change Password

Click on “Manage Profile” and then on “Change Password” to update your uFiling password when
needed. Complete all the mandatory fields and click on “Apply”.

7.2 Banking Information

Your own banking information may only be captured once. If you need to change or add another bank
account, refer to Chapter 2, Step 4. Bank details may only be captured once on the uFiling system.
To update new bank details, download the UI2.8 Form from the Department of Labour website
([Link]).
One portion of the UI2.8 Form must be completed by your bank and the other portion by you. Email the
completed UI2.8 Form and your contact details to VOsupport@[Link]

7.3 Beneficiary Manager

More Beneficiaries (up to a maximum of 4) can be added by clicking on the “Add New” button and
completing the name and ID number in the required fields and then clicking on “Add beneficiary”.

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7.4 Personal Details
Click on “Personal Details” to update contact and demographic information on your profile, including
physical and postal addresses.

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