Employing a Domestic Worker in South Africa: Contracts, UIF, COIDA & the NMW
The domestic worker employer obligations South Africa’s households must meet are real legal duties, not courtesies — and since domestic workers gained the full national minimum wage and COIDA cover, the era of informal arrangements is over. Whether you employ a domestic worker, gardener, child-minder or carer, this guide sets out every obligation: the wage, the registrations, the paperwork and the fair-treatment rules, with the affordable done-for-you options at each step.
- ✔Domestic workers get the FULL national minimum wage — R30.23/hour in 2026, no reduced rate.
- ✔More than 24 hours a month = UIF registration and monthly declarations are mandatory.
- ✔COIDA covers domestic workers — the household must register as an employer.
- ✔Written particulars and payslips are required, even if informal and handwritten.
- ✔Notice: 1 week up to 6 months’ service, 4 weeks beyond 6 months — and CCMA protection applies.
Who counts as a domestic worker (and when you become an employer)
A domestic worker is anyone employed to work in a private household: domestic workers and cleaners, gardeners, drivers for the household, child-minders and carers. You become their employer — with full obligations — from the first day of regular work; the 24-hours-a-month threshold is specifically the trigger for UIF registration, not for being an employer in general.
Someone who cleans for several households (a day-for-day char) is still an employee of each household — the fact that you are not her only employer does not remove your duties for the hours she works for you.
Pay: the national minimum wage in full
Since 2022, domestic workers receive the full national minimum wage — R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026. A worker working 8 hours a day, 3 days a week, must therefore earn at least roughly R3,144 a month; a full-time (45-hour) worker roughly R5,895. Overtime pays 1.5×, and hours are capped at 45 ordinary hours a week like any employee.
The value of board and lodging cannot be used to top up a below-minimum cash wage — the R30.23 must be met on the base hourly rate alone. See the 2026 NMW guide for what counts.
UIF: registration and monthly declarations
If your domestic worker works more than 24 hours a month, you must register as a domestic employer for UIF and declare the worker monthly on uFiling. Contributions are 1% deducted from the worker’s pay plus 1% paid by you, and the declarations are what let her claim unemployment, maternity, illness or dependants’ benefits later.
Registration is free on uFiling (choose the domestic employer option) — the mechanics are in UIF for domestic workers. Admin Boss registers domestic employers for R450 and can run the monthly declarations for you.
COIDA: injury cover for your household
Domestic workers are covered by COIDA — which means the household must register with the Compensation Fund and submit the annual Return of Earnings like any employer. The cover matters: if your worker is injured on duty (a fall from a ladder, a burn, a dog bite while working), COIDA pays medical costs and compensation instead of you facing a civil claim.
Admin Boss handles COIDA registration for domestic employers at R350 — see the COIDA registration guide for the DIY route.
Contract, payslips and leave
- ✓Written particulars of employment (section 29 checklist applies in full — a simple written contract is fine)
- ✓A payslip every pay day showing hours, rate, deductions and net pay — handwritten is acceptable if complete
- ✓Annual leave: 21 consecutive days per year (or accrual at 1 day per 17 days worked)
- ✓Sick leave: 6 weeks per 36-month cycle
- ✓Maternity leave: 4 months — UIF maternity benefits apply if you kept her UIF current
- ✓Public holidays: normal pay if the holiday falls on her ordinary working day
- ✓Records kept for 3 years
The free Employment Contract Generator and Payslip Generator on the Admin Boss tools page produce both documents in minutes — and the hiring guide covers the BCEA detail behind each item.
Ending the relationship fairly
Domestic workers have full LRA protection. Notice is 1 week if employed for 6 months or less, and 4 weeks if longer. A dismissal still needs a fair reason and a fair process — ‘it is my home’ is not a CCMA defence. On termination: final pay including accrued leave, the UI-19 so she can claim UIF, and a certificate of service.
If the relationship is ending because you can no longer afford the worker, that is a retrenchment — with consultation and severance pay of at least one week per completed year. See the retrenchment guide and the discipline & CCMA guide.
- National Minimum Wage 2026 — includes domestic workers at the full rate
- uFiling — domestic employer UIF registration and declarations
- Department of Employment and Labour — COIDA employer obligations (includes domestic)
Always confirm current requirements with the official source — rules and deadlines change.
- ✔UIF registration for domestic employers — R450
- ✔Monthly declarations handled
- ✔Stay legal as a household employer
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register my domestic worker for UIF?
Yes, if she works for you for more than 24 hours a month. Register as a domestic employer on uFiling, declare her monthly, deduct 1% from her wages and contribute 1% yourself. Without it she cannot claim unemployment or maternity benefits — and the failure is legally yours.
What is the minimum wage for domestic workers in 2026?
R30.23 per ordinary hour — the full national minimum wage, with no reduced domestic rate since 2022. A full-time domestic worker (45 hours a week) must earn at least roughly R5,895 per month.
Do I need COIDA for a domestic worker?
Yes — domestic workers are covered by COIDA, so the household should register with the Compensation Fund and file the annual Return of Earnings. Admin Boss registers domestic employers for COIDA at R350.
Can I just pay my domestic worker cash without paperwork?
You can pay cash, but the paperwork is still mandatory: written particulars, a payslip each pay day, UIF registration over 24 hours a month, and COIDA cover. 'Cash, no paperwork' leaves you exposed to back-pay claims, UIF arrears and full personal liability if she is injured.
How much notice must I give a domestic worker?
One week if she has worked for you for six months or less; four weeks if longer. The dismissal itself still needs a fair reason and fair process under the LRA, and a retrenchment (for affordability) requires consultation and severance pay.
Last reviewed: July 2026 · How we research our guides
EmployerGuide.online provides general information about South African employer obligations — not legal, tax or professional advice for your specific situation. Laws, rates and deadlines change; confirm current requirements with the official sources linked above, or ask Admin Boss. See our disclaimer.