Leave & BCEA
BCEA
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act sets the minimum working hours, leave and pay conditions for South African employees.
Full definition
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997 (BCEA) is the primary South African labour law governing working hours, overtime, annual leave, sick leave, family responsibility leave, notice periods, payslip contents and termination pay. It applies to all employees earning under the annual earnings threshold (currently R261,748.45) in full — higher earners are exempt from certain provisions.
See also
Annual leave
BCEA gives every employee 21 consecutive days (15 working days on a 5-day week) of paid annual leave per year.
Sick leave
BCEA sick leave is 30 days per 36-month cycle (or the number of days worked in a 6-week period per cycle for new employees).
Overtime
Time worked over 45 hours per week, paid at 1.5x normal rate (2x for Sundays and public holidays).
Notice pay
BCEA notice period: 1 week (under 6 months), 2 weeks (6 months–1 year), or 4 weeks (1 year+).
Automate BCEA in your payroll
Payroll Africa handles BCEA calculations automatically for South African employers — SARS-aligned for 2026/27. From R90/month.
Browse the full South African payroll glossary — 55 terms explained.