SSS Unemployment Benefit Features & Requirements in Filing Claim
SSS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT – Here’s a guide on the Unemployment Benefit offer for the Social Security System members.
One of the most financially-challenging situations a person can be in is losing a job or a source of income. The burden is double in the case of breadwinners or the highest earners in the family.
Losing a job may further result to the piling of unpaid debts and household bills, the daily struggle to put food in the table, compromised medications, and a lot more unfortunate situations. Meanwhile, in the case of the members of the Social Security System, they have something to turn to in times of involuntary job loss — the SSS Unemployment Benefit.
The said SSS benefit offer is open for cases of involuntary separation from work or job loss due to a factor that is beyond the control of the member-employee. Here are some of the grounds considered in the job loss:
- Article 298 and 299 of Presidential Decree No. 442 or Labor Code of the Philippines
- Use of machineries to speed up work
- Redundancy in employment
- Reduction of workforce
- Company closure
- Health reason
- Wrongful treatment from the employer
- Dropping of the economy
- Natural calamity
The Social Security System has set a clear limitation with regards to the coverage of the SSS Unemployment Benefit offer. The following are grounds for disqualification from the Unemployment Benefit offer:
- Serious misconduct
- Willful disobedience to lawful orders
- Gross and habitual neglect of duties
- Fraud or willful breach of trust/loss of confidence
- Commission of a crime or offense
- Analogous cases like abandonment, gross inefficiency, disloyalty/ conflict of interest/ dishonesty
With regards to the qualifications in filing for the SSS Unemployment Benefit claim, the benefit offer is open for members who meet the following qualifications set by the state-run social insurance agency:
- not over 60 years old upon the termination from service except for the following situations:
- if underground or surface mineworker, member-applicant must not go beyond 50 years of age to qualify
- if racehorse jockey, the member-applicant must not be above 55 years old
- has paid not less than a total of 36 monthly contributions with 12 of the premiums posted within the 18-month period prior to the month of termination from employment
- has not received an unemployment benefit within the last three (3) years prior to the month of termination from work
How much a member may get under the SSS Unemployment Benefit offer? The amount “is equivalent to twice the half of the member’s average monthly salary credit (AMSC)”. It is a one-time payment to the member and the claim must be filed within a year since the involuntary separation from work.
To file for a claim, there are documents that a member must submit to the Social Security System. Here are the documentary requirements set by the state-run social insurance agency:
- Original and photocopy of any primary identification cards (IDs) or documents
- Department of Labor and Employment or DOLE Certification that proves the way and date of forceful job loss
- Notice of Termination from the Employer / Affidavit of Termination of Employment
The Social Security System has also launched a program for the benefit of the members who are employed. It is called the Employee’s Compensation Program and there are several benefits under it.