Domestic employer compliance guides
Straight answers to the questions South African households ask about employing a domestic worker — minimum wage, UIF, contracts and leave, with the exact numbers and what the law actually requires.
Guides
48 guides
How do I register my domestic worker for UIF?
Step-by-step guide to registering your domestic worker for UIF with the Department of Employment and Labour, including the 2% contribution and the R17 712 ceiling.
What is the domestic worker minimum wage in 2026?
The South African domestic worker minimum wage is R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026. See the monthly equivalent, the 4-hour minimum and how to check your pay.
Do you legally need a contract for a domestic worker in South Africa?
Yes — South African law requires written particulars of employment for every domestic worker. Here is what the contract must contain and how to create one free.
How much leave is a domestic worker entitled to?
How much leave a domestic worker is entitled to in South Africa: 3 weeks' paid annual leave, plus sick leave and family responsibility leave under the BCEA.
How much do I pay a domestic worker for overtime, Sundays and public holidays?
How to pay a domestic worker for overtime (1.5×), Sunday work (2× or 1.5×), public holidays (double) and night shifts under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
Do I need to register my domestic worker for COIDA?
Yes. Since the Mahlangu Constitutional Court ruling, every household that employs a domestic worker is a COIDA employer. Here is what that means and how injury claims work.
Can I deduct from a domestic worker's salary?
What you can and cannot deduct from a domestic worker's pay under the BCEA: lawful deductions, written consent, the loss/damage rules, loans and advances, and absence.
What must appear on a domestic worker's payslip?
The BCEA s33 itemised list every domestic worker payslip must show — employer and worker details, pay period, hours, wage rate, each deduction and the actual amount paid.
What must a domestic worker contract include?
A checklist of the written particulars a domestic worker contract must contain under BCEA s29 — parties, place, hours, wage, deductions, leave and notice.
How much leave does a part-time or once-a-week domestic worker get?
Part-time and once-a-week domestic workers earn leave pro-rata under the BCEA. A worked example for a 1-day-a-week worker, plus sick and family-responsibility leave rules.
Is a 13th cheque or December bonus compulsory for a domestic worker?
A 13th cheque or December bonus for a domestic worker is customary in South Africa but not required by law. How to decide on one and how to handle it fairly.
What should I do when my domestic worker resigns?
A step-by-step guide for employers: notice periods, final pay and leave payout, the certificate of service and the UI-19 when a domestic worker resigns.
What are my rights as a domestic worker in South Africa?
Your rights as a domestic worker in South Africa: minimum wage R30.23/hour, UIF, paid leave, COIDA cover, a written contract and a payslip. A plain-language guide.
How do I claim UIF as a domestic worker?
A plain-language guide for domestic workers on claiming UIF when you lose your job: what you need, where to go, and how your employer's declarations make it possible.
What is my minimum wage as a domestic worker in 2026?
Your minimum wage as a domestic worker is R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026. See your day and month equivalents and what to do if you're being paid less.
What do I need to do to employ a domestic worker legally in South Africa?
Everything a South African household must do to employ a domestic worker legally in 2026: UIF, COIDA, a written contract, payslips, the minimum wage of R30.23/hour and paid leave — with links to free tools.
How much should I pay a domestic worker in 2026?
What to pay a domestic worker in South Africa in 2026: the R30.23/hour minimum, the R120.92 daily minimum, monthly equivalents and the extra costs (UIF, leave). Includes free pay and wage-check calculators.
How do I do payslips for a domestic worker?
Everything about domestic worker payslips in South Africa: why they're compulsory (BCEA s33), what must appear on one, how to show UIF and deductions, and a free payslip generator.
How do I end a domestic worker's employment correctly?
How to end a domestic worker's employment legally in South Africa: notice periods, final pay and leave payout, severance, the certificate of service and the UI-19 — with a free termination calculator.
How much sick leave is a domestic worker entitled to?
How much paid sick leave a domestic worker gets in South Africa: the days normally worked in 6 weeks over each 36-month cycle, the first-6-months rule, and when a medical certificate is needed.
How much family responsibility leave does a domestic worker get?
Family responsibility leave for domestic workers in South Africa: 3 paid days a year, who qualifies (employed over 4 months, works at least 4 days a week), and what it covers under BCEA s27.
How much maternity leave does a domestic worker get and is it paid?
Maternity leave for domestic workers in South Africa: up to 4 consecutive months of unpaid leave under the BCEA, and how the worker claims UIF maternity benefits to be paid during it.
What are the rules for a live-in domestic worker?
The rules for a live-in domestic worker in South Africa: the same minimum wage and leave, the maximum accommodation deduction (about 10% of the wage), privacy, and what the contract should cover.
When is a domestic worker owed severance pay?
When a domestic worker is owed severance pay in South Africa: at least one week's wage per completed year of service on retrenchment — and when it is not owed (resignation, fair dismissal).
What is a certificate of service and what must it contain?
What a certificate of service is, why every domestic worker is entitled to one when employment ends (BCEA s42), what it must contain, and how it differs from a reference letter.
Can I put a domestic worker on probation, and for how long?
How probation works for a domestic worker in South Africa: there's no fixed statutory length, what a reasonable period looks like, and that fair-dismissal rules still apply during probation.
How do I use uFiling to declare and pay UIF for my domestic worker?
A step-by-step uFiling walkthrough for domestic employers: how to register, add your worker, submit the monthly UIF declaration by the 7th, and pay the 1% + 1% contribution online.
Do I have to deduct PAYE tax for my domestic worker?
Whether a domestic employer must deduct PAYE for a domestic worker in South Africa, the difference between PAYE and UIF, and how the worker handles their own tax. Guidance, not tax advice.
How does a domestic worker claim from COIDA for an injury at work?
How a domestic worker claims compensation for an injury or illness at work in South Africa: the Mahlangu basis, what's covered, what the worker and employer must do, and that it's free to the worker.
What happens if I don't register my domestic worker for UIF and COIDA?
Not registering your domestic worker for UIF and COIDA is unlawful and exposes you to back-contributions, interest, penalties and personal liability for an injured worker. Here's what's actually at risk.
What is a Letter of Good Standing and do I need one as a domestic employer?
A COIDA Letter of Good Standing proves you're a registered employer whose Compensation Fund account is up to date. Here's what it is, why a domestic employer might need one, and how to get it.
How do the monthly UIF declarations work for a domestic worker?
Once you've registered, UIF isn't done — you must declare and pay 2% of your domestic worker's pay every month by the 7th. Here's the monthly uFiling routine, step by step.
What is the minimum day rate for a domestic worker in 2026?
The legal minimum day rate for a domestic worker in 2026 depends on the hours: R30.23/hour means R241.84 for an 8-hour day or R272.07 for a 9-hour day, with a R120.92 floor for any day reported.
What benefits must I provide a domestic worker, and which are optional?
Beyond the wage, what benefits does a domestic worker get? The legal must-haves (UIF, COIDA, paid leave, a payslip) versus the common extras (13th cheque, transport, meals) — and where the line is.
What is the average domestic worker salary in South Africa?
What does a domestic worker actually earn in South Africa? The R30.23/hour legal minimum, the typical monthly range by role and city, and how to benchmark a fair wage above the floor.
What's the difference between a nanny, a domestic worker and an au pair?
Nanny, domestic worker and au pair are different roles with different duties and pay — but in South African law all three are employees on the same R30.23/hour minimum. Here's how they compare.
Is a verbal agreement with a domestic worker valid?
A verbal agreement with a domestic worker is a real, binding employment contract — but the law still requires you to give written particulars of employment. Here's why 'we just agreed it' isn't enough.
Can I change my domestic worker's hours or pay?
You can't simply cut a domestic worker's hours, pay or days — varying the contract needs agreement. Here's how to change terms lawfully, and what counts as an unfair unilateral change.
How much notice must I give a domestic worker?
How much notice to end a domestic worker's employment? 1 week under 6 months, 2 weeks from 6 to 12 months, and 4 weeks after a year — the same both ways, in writing, under the BCEA.
How do I dismiss a domestic worker fairly?
You can dismiss a domestic worker, but only for a fair reason and through a fair process. Here's what the Labour Relations Act and its Code of Good Practice require — and how to avoid an unfair-dismissal claim.
How do warning letters and discipline work for a domestic worker?
Warning letters are the backbone of fair discipline before any dismissal. Here's how progressive discipline works for a domestic worker — verbal, written and final written warnings — and what each letter should say.
Can a domestic worker take me to the CCMA, and what happens?
Domestic workers can take disputes — unfair dismissal, unpaid wages, unfair labour practice — to the CCMA, for free. Here's how the process works and what a household employer should expect.
What can I do if my employer isn't paying me properly?
If your employer underpays you, pays late, or stops paying, you have rights and free places to turn. Here's what to do, step by step, as a domestic worker in South Africa.
Do I have rights as a domestic worker if I don't have a written contract?
No written contract? You still have full rights. Minimum wage, paid leave, UIF, COIDA and fair dismissal protection apply to every domestic worker in South Africa, contract or not.
How do I pay a domestic worker on a public holiday?
Working a public holiday means double pay, and a paid day off if the worker doesn't work it. Here's how public-holiday and December festive-season pay works for domestic workers under the BCEA.
How does December leave and a festive shutdown work for a domestic worker?
Planning a domestic worker's December leave or a festive shutdown? Here's how annual leave, public holidays and a household closure fit together over the festive season, fairly and lawfully.
Is there really a R100 000 fine for employing a domestic worker in South Africa?
A proposed law has put a 'R100 000 fine' for employing a domestic worker in the headlines. Here's what the Bill really says, what already applies today, and the everyday compliance that matters more for most households.
Can I legally employ a foreign national as a domestic worker in South Africa?
Employing a foreign national as a domestic worker, nanny or gardener? Here's the right-to-work check South African law already requires, what documents to keep, and the proposed fine on the horizon.
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Dignita is a compliance tool, not legal advice. Figures are based on current South African legislation; confirm with a labour-law professional for your situation.