The Quick Answer
Employing a domestic worker in South Africa comes with three legal obligations most households do not realise: a written contract of employment under the BCEA, registration for UIF, and registration with the Compensation Fund (COIDA). The contract sets out the wage, hours, duties and leave. UIF protects the worker if they lose the job, fall ill or go on maternity leave. COIDA covers them for injury at work. All three are required, and all three are free or cheap to set up.
The one thing most people miss
A domestic worker is a full employee, not a casual favour. The same Basic Conditions of Employment Act that covers an office worker covers them — minimum wage, leave, notice and UIF. Doing it properly is simpler and cheaper than most employers expect.
Download the Free Domestic Worker Contract
You get an editable Microsoft Word document and a print-ready PDF, covering the wage, hours, leave and termination, plus a step-by-step UIF and COIDA registration guide. Enter your details and both arrive in your inbox.
Need it right now?
Copy the full contract, paste it into Word or Google Docs, and fill in the bracketed fields. Every clause the BCEA expects is already there.
A domestic worker is a full employee under the BCEA — contract, UIF and COIDA all apply.
What Each Section Does, and Why
Each clause covers something the BCEA requires or something that prevents a dispute later. Fill them in honestly and both sides know exactly where they stand.
Names the household employer and the worker, with ID numbers and the UIF reference. The UIF number is your proof of registration.
Records the role and duties so there is no argument later about what the job includes.
Start date and whether it is permanent, fixed-term or part-time — which drives notice and leave.
Sets ordinary hours within the BCEA maximum of 45 a week, the meal break, and how overtime is paid.
The wage, which must meet the domestic-worker minimum wage, and how and when it is paid. A payslip is required.
The 1% UIF deduction and the rule that nothing else comes off without written agreement.
The legal obligation to register for both, with the steps spelled out at the end of the contract.
Annual, sick, family responsibility and parental leave — the same BCEA minimums every employee gets.
The notice each side must give, and the right to a fair process and a certificate of service.
How to Register for UIF (Step by Step)
This is the part most households skip, and it is genuinely quick. Registration is free, and it is what lets your worker claim if they lose the job, fall ill, or go on maternity leave.
Register as a domestic employer
Go to ufiling.co.za and register as a domestic employer, or complete form UI-8D, or call the UIF on 012 337 1680.
Declare the worker (UI-19)
Add the worker with form UI-19 and declare their monthly wage. This links them to your UIF account.
Pay 2% every month
1% is deducted from the worker and 1% is added by you — 2% of the wage in total, paid to the UIF each month.
Register for COIDA
Register as an employer with the Compensation Fund (form CF-1E) so the worker is covered for injury or illness at work.
Minimum Wage and Working Hours
From 1 March 2026 the national minimum wage is R30.23 per hour (up from R28.79 in 2025), and domestic workers are now on exactly that rate — the old lower domestic tier is gone. For a standard 40-hour week that works out to roughly R5,240 a month. There is also a four-hour minimum: if you call your worker in, you must pay for at least four hours even if they work less — about R120.92 at the 2026 rate. The figure is reviewed every year, usually in March, so always confirm the current rate with the Department of Employment and Labour before you sign. Paying below it is an offence, and the shortfall can be claimed back with penalties.
| Rule | What the BCEA says |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | R30.23/hour from 1 March 2026 (≈ R5,240/month at 40 hours a week) — equal to the national minimum wage; confirm the current rate |
| Ordinary hours | Maximum 45 hours a week; 9 hours a day (5-day week) or 8 hours (6-day week) |
| Meal break | After no more than 5 hours of work |
| Overtime | By agreement only, at 1.5× (2× on Sundays and public holidays) |
| Night & Sunday work | Sunday work paid at double (or 1.5× if the worker ordinarily works Sundays); night-work allowance where applicable |
| Payslip | Required every payday, showing wage, hours and deductions |
What It Actually Costs You — and the Deadline Most Households Miss
Doing this properly is far cheaper than most employers expect — and far cheaper than getting it wrong. Here is the full picture of what compliance costs, in real Rands.
| Obligation | What it costs |
|---|---|
| UIF contribution | 2% of the wage each month — 1% deducted from the worker, 1% added by you. On a R5,240 wage that is about R105 a month in total. |
| COIDA assessment | A small annual assessment (roughly R0.39 per R100 of yearly earnings) with a minimum amount — typically a few hundred Rands a year. |
| Registration | Free. Registering for UIF and with the Compensation Fund costs nothing. |
| Getting it wrong | Underpayment claims with penalties, a UIF or CCMA complaint, and back-pay. Far more than the cost of compliance. |
The COIDA deadline most households don't know about
Every employer registered for COIDA — including every household that employs a domestic worker — must submit an annual Return of Earnings declaring the worker's earnings. For 2026 that window runs from 1 April to 30 June 2026. Most households have never heard of it, which is exactly why it is worth getting registered and diarised now rather than discovering it after a workplace injury, when the cover you should have had is the difference between a claim paid and a claim refused.
Leave Entitlements
A domestic worker gets the same BCEA leave minimums as any other employee. These are minimums — you can always give more.
| Leave type | Entitlement |
|---|---|
| Annual leave | 21 consecutive days a year on full pay (or 15 working days for a 5-day week) |
| Sick leave | The days normally worked in 6 weeks, over a 3-year cycle (about 30 days for a 5-day week) |
| Family responsibility | 3 days a year after 4 months, for workers working 4+ days a week |
| Parental leave | As provided by the BCEA (and the Van Wyk judgment, October 2025) |
6 Mistakes Households Make
No written contract
A handshake is not enough. The BCEA requires written particulars, and without them any dispute starts with your word against theirs.
Not registering for UIF
It is a legal obligation for anyone working more than 24 hours a month, it is free to set up, and it is what protects the worker when they need it most.
Forgetting COIDA
Domestic workers have been covered for workplace injury since 2020. If you have not registered with the Compensation Fund, that cover is not in place.
Paying below minimum wage
The domestic rate now equals the national minimum wage. Underpaying is an offence and can be claimed back with penalties.
No payslip
Every payday the worker must get a payslip showing the wage and any deductions. It is a BCEA requirement, not optional.
Dismissing without process
A domestic worker can take an unfair dismissal to the CCMA just like any employee. A fair reason and a fair procedure still apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a contract legally required for a domestic worker in South Africa?
Yes. Under section 29 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, every employer must give an employee written particulars of employment, and a domestic worker is a full employee in law. A signed contract protects both sides: it records the wage, hours, duties and leave, and it is the document the Department of Employment and Labour or the CCMA will ask for if there is ever a dispute.
Do I have to register my domestic worker for UIF?
Yes, by law. Any domestic worker who works more than 24 hours a month must be registered for the Unemployment Insurance Fund. You register as a domestic employer (online at ufiling.co.za, by form UI-8D, or by phone), declare the worker on a UI-19, and pay 2% of their wage each month — 1% deducted from the worker and 1% from you. It costs nothing to register and protects the worker if they lose the job, fall ill or go on maternity leave.
What is the minimum wage for a domestic worker in 2026?
From 1 March 2026 the minimum wage for domestic workers is equal to the general national minimum wage — domestic and farm workers are no longer on a lower rate. Always confirm the current figure with the Department of Employment and Labour before signing, because the national minimum wage is adjusted each year, usually in March.
Are domestic workers covered by COIDA (workplace injury cover)?
Yes. Following the Constitutional Court’s Mahlangu judgment in 2020, domestic workers are covered by the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, with employer registration in place from 1 March 2021. If your worker is injured or becomes ill because of their work, they can claim from the Compensation Fund — but only if you have registered. You must also submit an annual Return of Earnings (for 2026, between 1 April and 30 June).
How much leave does a domestic worker get?
The same BCEA minimums as any employee: 21 consecutive days of annual leave per year on full pay, sick leave of the days normally worked in six weeks over a three-year cycle (about 30 days for a five-day week), three days of family responsibility leave a year after four months, and parental leave as provided by the BCEA. Live-in workers also have specific protections around notice and accommodation.