UIF - uFiling now available!

[Dave A]

I see uFiling has updated their website and functionality. I got this email:

Dear Valued Client,


In our endeavor to continuously provide excellent service to employers, uFiling is being upgraded with new
added functionality

Go-Live date has been scheduled for 14 September 2009.
uFiling has received a complete revamp from information received from uFilers.
Key functionality includes the following;

• A new homepage for uFiling
• Allows for bulk uploading of employee data
• Automated issuing of employee declarations on the 1st of each month
• Simple and easy to use consolidated single screen for viewing declarations, contributions and payments made
  by you
• Reminders - e-mail notifications from uFiling on the 1st of each month reminding you to submit your declarations
  by the 7th of each month
• Accurate UIF contribution calculations per employee based on the salary information captured by you
• Enhanced on demand reporting - Declaration Analysis, Contribution Analysis and monthly statement of account
• Online payments - uFiling includes an online payment facility that enables you to pay your contributions securely
  by debit order. Payment by Internet Banking will be implemented by November 2009 for certain banks
• Enhanced security - further enhancements have been made to an already world class secure system
  • With uFiling you'll never have to worry about the confidentiality of your employee information and UIF returns
  • Security controls are employed on multiple user levels ensuring your data remains secure at all times

Click here to view the comparison between version 1 and version 2.
Should you have any queries or require any assistance with UIF declarations and contributions, please contact our uFiling

Call centre on 0860 FILING (0860 345 464).

Best Regards,

The uFiling Team

Unfortunately no sign of a link-up between the SARS eFiling system and the uFiling system yet when it comes to dealing with payments.

Damn irritating actually. I'd far rather be using uFiling to deal with my UIF returns.

[Dave A]

An update.

I decided to check what was going on with my uFiling account which I abandoned some time ago on the instructions of a uFiling agent because I pay via SARS on the EMP201 return.

Blow me down - all those returns that were marked unpaid are now marked as SARS payable.

I phone uFiling to find out if that means what I think it does - and yes, they're matching it up with the EMP201 return. In fact, this uFiling agent says whoever told me not to use uFiling to submit the returns was wrong!

Frankly I'm rather bemused. Looks like I've got some work ahead of me cleaning up the data and submitting the outstanding returns

[Blesh]

Couldnt get through to the contact section for some reason. I am trying to get a letter stating something similar to the SARS tax clearance letter.

[Dave A]

I am trying to get a letter stating something similar to the SARS tax clearance letter.

From the UIF department? You're not perhaps looking for a letter of good standing (which would be from workmans compensation).

[Theuns.vanWyk]

An update.

I decided to check what was going on with my uFiling account which I abandoned some time ago on the instructions of a uFiling agent because I pay via SARS on the EMP201 return.

Blow me down - all those returns that were marked unpaid are now marked as SARS payable.

I phone uFiling to find out if that means what I think it does - and yes, they're matching it up with the EMP201 return. In fact, this uFiling agent says whoever told me not to use uFiling to submit the returns was wrong!

Frankly I'm rather bemused. Looks like I've got some work ahead of me cleaning up the data and submitting the outstanding returns

I recently realised the same thing.

Did you manage to resolve this? We have been trying for more than a year to resolve this with lots of backdated change requests, and numerous, numerous calls to the call centre. No success. No progress. Just lots ans lots of money and time spent.
And our business only has 45 employees - imagine if you are a larger business!

We declare and pay our UIF to SARS every month, and want to comply, but damn this is rediculous.
Can we submit our returns manually and deregister for Ufiling?

[Dave A]

Did you manage to resolve this?

Yes.

At first I tried to "dismiss" all the no longer employed staff still listed on ufiling on the day they did leave our employ, but that threw an error straight away.

In the end I just went for the "whatever works" route.

On ufiling I "fired" all the "no longer employed" staff as of the 1st of the current month (with 0 salary), and updated all the current employee details (correct starting date and current pay). Then just started filing every month from that month onwards on ufiling.

Then for each "no longer employed" employee I completed a manual UIF return form for the month they left service, and a certificate of service, bundled the lot into an envelope, and posted that off to UIF. (Kept a copy of the lot or course, which is archived now).

Never heard a peep since.

Can we submit our returns manually and deregister for Ufiling?

Ufiling is so painless and instant, I'd strongly recommend sticking to Ufiling from this point forward. That way you know the data is being captured directly into their system and there's no nonsense about outstanding returns etc. when an exployee does actually try to claim for UIF.

If the BCR system is proving too much of a PITA, do manual returns for the history and leave them to sort out the historical mess themselves, I reckon.
(The BCR system hadn't been deployed yet when I had to clean up the mess, so I have no idea how good or bad it is. If it's bad, make it their problem to clean up - just give them the data they need manually and move on).