When an employee goes on maternity leave, it’s not just about giving her time off — it’s about making sure she receives the UIF benefits she’s entitled to. At GoSmartHR, we’ve simplified the UIF maternity process to help employers like you stay compliant and supportive.

Can Employees Claim UIF if They Receive Partial Pay? Yes! Even if the employee receives only a portion of her salary (e.g. 50%), she can claim UIF for the shortfall — as long as:

· She was not actively working during that time

· You declare her as on maternity leave (not active employment)

Note: The maximum claimable salary for UIF is R17 712 per month. The UIF payout is a percentage of this (between 38% and 60%).

Here is what you as an employer should do to ensure compliance and assistance during this time:

1. When submitting UIF declarations via CSV or uFiling, you must change the employee’s status code. If you leave the employee marked as “active”, UIF may reject or reduce her benefit.

1.1. Update field 8280 to: 9 – Maternity Leave

1.2. Example CSV Snippet Before: 8280,1, ← (Active – Incorrect)

1.3. Corrected: 8280,9, ← (Maternity Leave – Correct)

2. Include a Maternity Support Letter (If Paying Partial Salary). If you’re paying 50% of her salary (or any portion), include a short letter attached to her UI-2.7 application confirming that:

2.1. The employee is on maternity leave

2.2. She is not rendering any services

2.3. She received partial pay from [month] to [month]

3. While the employee completes most forms, you’ll assist with these:

3.1. UI-19 Declare reason for leave (code 9)

3.2. UI-2.7 Confirm earnings/employment details

3.3. UI-2.8 Confirm banking details

3.4. UI-2.3 Application for maternity benefit

3.5. Employer letter Support maternity and partial pay claim

At GoSmartHR, we believe every expecting mom deserves a smooth maternity process — and every employer deserves a simple way to make that happen. With the right declarations and a bit of paperwork, UIF will help fill the gap and support your staff during one of life’s most important moments.