We know that this pandemic has been a challenge to both employers and employees, some business has to close and lay off their staff. SSS in partnership with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine Overseas Labor (POLO) and Philippine Overseas Employee Agency (POEA) is aiding granting SSS Unemployment Benefit to SSS Members that were involuntarily separated from their employment.

For additional information on the Coverage, Eligibility Requirements, Prescriptive Period of Filing and Limitations of the Unemployment Benefit (UB), kindly visit https://bit.ly/3JbE4wG

Who are Qualified to Apply for SSS Unemployment Benefit?

Involuntarily separated covered employee, including Kasambahay and OFW:

a. Who is not over sixty (60) years old at the time of involuntary separation, except;

In the case of underground mineworker or surface mineworker not over fifty (50) years old; In the case of racehorse jockey, not over 55 years old.

b. Has paid at least thirty-six (36) monthly contributions, twelve (12) months of which should be in the eighteen- month (18-month) period immediately preceding the month of involuntary separation;

c. Has no settled unemployment benefit within the last three (3) years prior to the date of involuntary separation; and

d. Has been involuntarily separated from employment due to any, but not limited to:

Any of the following authorized causes for termination of employee under Articles 298 (283) and 299 (284) of P.D. No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended:

• Installation of labor-saving devices;
• Redundancy;
• Retrenchment or downsizing;
• Closure or cessation of operation; or
• Disease/illness of the employee whose continued employment is prohibited by law or is prejudicial to his or her co-employees’ health.

Any of the following just causes stated under Article 300 (285) of P.D. No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended, for which an employee may put an end to the employment relationship without notice to employer:

• Serious insult by the employer or his representative on the honor and person of the employee;
• Inhuman and unbearable treatment accorded the employee by the employer or his/her representative;
• Commission of a crime or offense by the employer or his/her representative against the person of the employee or any of the immediate members of his/ her family; and

Other causes analogous to any of the foregoing.

• Economic downturn;
• Natural or human-induced calamities/disasters;
• Other analogous cases as may be determined by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and SSS.

An employee shall NOT be qualified to receive unemployment benefit if he/she has been involuntarily separated from employment due to just causes under Article 297 (282) of P.D. No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended, covering any of the following act/s by the employee:

• 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
• Analogous cases like abandonment, gross inefficiency, disloyalty/conflict of interest/dishonesty.

What are the pre-requisite to Online Filing of Unemployment Benefit?

1. Registered account in the My.SSS Portal of the SSS Website

2. UMID card enrolled as ATM or an approved Disbursement Account Enrolled in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM) of the My.SSS Portal.

Related Articles:

• How to Create an SSS Online Account?
• How to Enroll your Disbursement Account in SSS Website – DAEM Module?

3. Supply/Select and confirm the following information, then click “Proceed”

• UMID-ATM card or preferred disbursement amount.
• Employment category: covered employee (including Kasambahay), mineworker, racehorse jockey, sea-based OFW or land-based OFW.
• Date of involuntary separation
• SSS-registered name or employer/company where member was separated.
• Preferred Field/Provincial Office of the DOLE, POLO or POEA to apply for electronic Certification of Involuntary Separation.

4. Submitted Information shall be validated by the SSS. Upon successful system-validation of the UB Claim Application, the eligibility screen that shows the estimated amount of Unemployment benefit shall be displayed. If you would like to proceed with the application, click “Yes”.

5. Read the Certification portion, tick the box “Click here to certify and proceed”, then click “Proceed”.

6. Read the Data Consent carefully, then tick “Click here to agree and proceed”, then click “Submit”.

7. You have successfully submitted your Unemployment Benefit application. Read the on-screen notification and instructions on how to proceed with the application for DOLE/POEA/POLO Electronic Certification of Involuntary Separation. The same notification/instruction shall also be sent to your registered email address.

8. The UB Claim shall now await the electronic certification from DOLE/POEA/POLO of the member’s involuntary separation. The certification from the concerned agency shall trigger the approval of the UB Application and payment of the UB Claim.

Note: The member shall be given 30 calendar days to file an application for ane Electronic Certification of Involuntary Separation from the DOLE/POEA/POLO. In case the member failsto file within the said period, the UB application shall be automatically cancelled, and the member shall be required tofile a new UB application thru the SSS website. To remind the member, the SSS shall send an e-mail notification to the concerned member one (1) week prior o automatic cancellation of the UB application.

How can members apply for Electric Certification of Involuntary Separation?

1. The member may file the application for Electronic Certification of Involuntary Separation over the counter or thru the the online facility of selected DOLE/POLO/POEA offices (Please check DOLE/POLO/POEA website)
   • For local employees/kasambahay: DOLE Field/Provincial Office where the employer/company is located.
   • For land-based/sea based OFWs: POEA Central Office, or any One-Stop Service Center for OFWs (OSSCO), POEA Regional Center, POEA Satellite Office (PSO), Regional Extension Unit (REU), or POLO where the foreign employer operates.
     The application for certification shall be subject to the existing appointment system, if applicable, in the respective venues of the filing of application.

2. Upon submission of application at the DOLE/POLO/POEA OFFICE or thru their respective website, the member shall be required to provide the following:

• Transaction Number provided in the SSS email notification
• One (1) valid identification document with signature and photo
• Copy of Notice of Termination of Employment issued by the employer or Duly Notarized Affidavit of Termination of Employment, in the absence of Notice of Termination of Employment.

2. Upon submission of application at the DOLE/POLO/POEA office or thru their respective website, the member shall be required to provide the following:

• Transaction Number provided in the SSS email notification
• One (1) valid identification document with signature and photo
• Copy of Notice of Termination of Employment issued by the employer or Duly Notarized Affidavit of Termination of Employment, in the absence of Notice of Termination of Employment.

For OFWs, the Affidavit of Termination of Employment shuld be supported by an Employment Contract verified by POLO and/or proof of OFW’s arrival to the Philippines in the OFW’s passport or similar documents.

• Certificate of Pending Case and/or Police Report, if applicable.

• Upon confirmation of the Certification of Involuntary Separation by the DOLE through the SSS web application system, the unemployment benefit claim shall be approved for payment.
• The SSS shall send an e-mail notification on the approval and crediting of the unemployment benefit to the member’s e-mail address registered in the My.SSS of the SSS Website.