SSS UnEmployment Benefit is a cash benefit granted to covered employees, including Kasambahays and Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) members, who suffered job loss because of retrenchment/downsizing, closure of business operations, and other reasons brought about by involuntary separation from employment.
This new SS benefit was introduced by Republic Act No. 11199, otherwise known as the Security Act of 2018, which took effect on 05 March 2019.
The prescribed period in filing a claim of unemployment benefit is within one year from the date of involuntary separation. To check if you are qualified for the SSS unemployment benefits program, you must meet the following criteria:
The SS member should not be over 60 years old at the time of involuntary separation. Except for mineworkers and racehorse jockeys, which must not be over 50
The SS member should have at least 36 monthly contributions. In this, 12 months of which should be in the 18-month period immediately preceding the month of involuntary separation.
The member has no settled unemployment within the last three years prior to the date of involuntary separation.
The involuntary termination of employment is due to any of the following:
- Retrenchment or downsizing
- Redundancy
- Cessation of Operation
- Installation of labor-saving devices
- Disease or illness, prohibiting the member from performing duties or comprimising co-employees’ health as per law
- Economic downturn (job loss due to economic recession or depression)
- Natural or man-made disasters/calamities
- Or the member quit job without notice to the employer due to any of the following reasons:
- Grave insult by the employer or his/her representative
- Inhumane and unbreakable treatment by the employer or his/her representative
- Commission of a crime or offense to the members of his/her family by the employer or his/her representative
The SS Member is not qualified to receive unemployment benefit if he/she has been separated from employment due to just causes under Article 297 (282) of P.D. No 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines:
- Serious misconduct
- Willful disobedience to lawful orders
- Gross and habitual neglect of duties
- Fraud or will breach of trust/loss of confidence
- Commission of a crime or offense
- Analogous cases like abandonment, gross inefficiency, disloyalty/conflict of interest/dishonesty
- A covered employee who is involuntary separated can only claim unemployment benefit once every three years from the date of involuntary separation.
- In case of concurrence of two or more compensable contingencies within the same compensable period, only the higher benefit shall be paid.
- For the following cases, the settled unemployment benefit shall be deducted, either in partial or full, from the future benefit/s of the member
- Overlapping benefits
- When the involuntary separated employee files a case/complaint against his/her employer and the resolution thereof showed:
- that the reason for termination was due to just cause/s under Labor Code of the Philippines, as ammended
- that the case/complaint resulter in reinstatement of the involuntarily separated employee with payment of backwages.
- When the filing, processing, or payment involves misrepresentation, fraud, or false claims,
- When the employee is rehired or re-employed within the compensable period.
Not registered in My.SSS yet?
Here’s is the quick guide on how to register your SSS account online.
Step-by-Step Application of Unemployment Benefit
1 Go to SSS website and click the Member button or go directly to SSS Portal Member Login link. Enter your User ID and password. Then, click the Submit button to go to your account.
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2 On the home page menu, select the E-SERVICES tab and click the Apply for Unemployment Benefit option.Â
3 Enter the required details for claim application.
- Choose Bank Account Details/Mobile Number – if you do not have an account enrolled yet, here is a guide to enroll your e-wallet account or bank details:
- Select your Employment Category as of Date of Separation
- Covered Employee
- Mine Worker
- Racehorse Jockey
- Land-Based OFW
- Sea-Based OFW
- Date of Separation – Write the date of your last day on the job
- Reason of Unemployment – Select from the list of reasons
- Employer Name
Review the details and click the Proceed button for the next step.
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- A covered employee who is involuntary separated can only claim unemployment benefit once every three years from the date of involuntary separation.
- In case of concurrence of two or more compensable contingencies within the same compensable period, only the higher benefit shall be paid.
- For the following cases, the settled unemployment benefit shall be deducted, either in partial or full, from the future benefit/s of the member
- Overlapping benefits
- When the involuntary separated employee files a case/complaint against his/her employer and the resolution thereof showed:
- that the reason for termination was due to just cause/s under Labor Code of the Philippines, as ammended
- that the case/complaint resulter in reinstatement of the involuntarily separated employee with payment of backwages.
- When the filing, processing, or payment involves misrepresentation, fraud, or false claims,
- When the employee is rehired or re-employed within the compensable period.
4 It will display the estimated amount of your Unemployment Benefit. To continue with your application, press Yes button.
To know the expected amount that you will receive, here is the computation:
Unemployment Benefit = Average Monthly Salary Credit (AMSC) x 50% x 2 months
where AMSC shall be the higher of the following:
- The result obtained by dividing the sum of the last sixty (60) monthly salary credits immediately preceding the semester of the contingency by sixty (60);
- The result obtained by dividing the sum of all the monthly salary credits prior to the semester of contingency by the number of montly contributions paid in the same period
5 Review the details and read the Certifications stating that all information provided are true and correct.Â
Then, click the Submit button to send your claim application.
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6 Wait for an email from SSS for the next step. They will ask you to provide a scanned copy or an image file of your Termination Letter:
Certification establishing the nature and date of involuntary separation from DOLE through its Regional Offices and Philippines Overseas Labor Offices (POLO) with any of the following attachments, whichever is applicable:
- Notice of Termination from Employer
- Affidavit of Termination of Employment
This benefit covers contingencies occurring on or after 05 March 2019 only.
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7 Once your application is approved, you will receive the amount in the Bank Account or E-Wallet Account you have enrolled in SSS.
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To learn more about the SS Unemployment Benefit, you can register in ExpreSSS E-Learning Portal, bit.ly/Module3Registration.Â
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