My returns list.

[Dave A]

Hmm. Annual returns. An even longer list coming, I'm afraid.

[duncan drennan]

Every month you need to submit another form, the UI19. This details the leviable salary of every employee. This is best done using UIF uFiling.

Do you need to register as a new employer with the UIF to do this? I tried with my SARS UIF number, but it wasn't the correct format....so I'm guessing that it has to be done manually.....

[Dave A]

Call the uFiling helpline. You will have a UIF number allocated if you are registered with SARS as an employer. Just nobody tells you. Tell them your SARS number and they'll tell you your UIF employers number.

Actually, when it comes to UIF, their follow through is shocking. No notifications at all really. I'm hoping it's going to improve with the uFiling system.

[duncan drennan]

Actually, when it comes to UIF, their follow through is shocking. No notifications at all really. I'm hoping it's going to improve with the uFiling system.

It is actually quite weird - the SARS efiling system runs really well and smoothly (I've had no issues), while the uFiling system just seems to be disaster after disaster. I registered to do my domestic UIF declarations, but had problems with the registration, then problems with completing declarations (issue with having no domestic for two months, and it wouldn't let me submit with 0 employees - arg). Luckily the uFiling support does get back to you....eventually.

I'll give them a call and find out what my number is - thanks Dave.

[Dave A]

The difference in service levels between the Department of Labour and SA Revenue Services is a gulf.

The uFiling system seems to have a lot of similarities with the eFiling service, though, once you've got it set up. I suspect the same programmers.

The one thing that really impressed me is uFiling seems to be tapped into the National ID system. You load an employee and data appears that you did not capture - and if you've made a mistake in respect of the employee's details it tells you.

[duncan drennan]

I followed up with the UIF on this today. Turns out there is no UIF registration number for my company, which I find a little bit disturbing � where has the money been going?

I was told to fill out the UI–8 and UI–19 forms....

[Dave A]

... where has the money been going?

Into the pit *erm* pool.

The place seems to be a mess. I discovered the whole "Use uFiling as well" aspect from an experience with an ex-employee applying for her UIF. I'd been paying via SARS eFiling and UIF (unsurprisngly) couldn't find her contribution record. I was instructed to fax through a return showing the employee's commencement and end dates, end salary rate etc. which I duly did.

A month later I got asked to send it all over again - my previous return had still not been captured in the system.

I'm hoping by doing the uFiling returns and paying via eFiling it's all going to work out as it should - and we're not relying on someone capturing the data at UIF (which clearly is not been done as it should).

The only issue now is whether my payments to SARS are actually being connected with my returns submitted to uFiling. I guess time will tell.

[duncan drennan]

The only issue now is whether my payments to SARS are actually being connected with my returns submitted to uFiling. I guess time will tell.

Hmmmm....maybe a phone call to SARS is in order....

[Dave A]

I don't think SARS is going to be able to confirm that uFiling (DoL) is actually working as it should right down to an unemployment claim - which is the real test.

If you're in a rush to find out, I'll go fire someone quickly...

I'm filing my returns. I'm making my payments. Right now no news is good news.

[Dave A]

I've just been taking a closer look at my UIF account via uFiling. It seems there is a problem between eFiling and uFiling. All my UIF returns I've submitted are marked unpaid.

I tried resolving it by using the manual payment option in uFiling, but this does not look promising. No option for payment via SARS - which I would have thought was the logical option.

Time to make that enquiry on how the two systems tie the information up, I think.