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    Leave & BCEA

    Notice pay

    BCEA notice period: 1 week (under 6 months), 2 weeks (6 months–1 year), or 4 weeks (1 year+).

    Full definition

    Notice pay (BCEA Section 37) is the minimum written notice an employer or employee must give when terminating employment: 1 week for the first 6 months, 2 weeks for 6 months to 1 year, and 4 weeks after 1 year of service (farmworkers and domestic workers get 4 weeks after 6 months). Pay in lieu of notice is common.

    See also

    Severance pay
    One week's pay per completed year of service, payable to employees retrenched for operational reasons (BCEA Section 41).
    BCEA
    The Basic Conditions of Employment Act sets the minimum working hours, leave and pay conditions for South African employees.

    Automate Notice pay in your payroll

    Payroll Africa handles Notice pay calculations automatically for South African employers — SARS-aligned for 2026/27. From R90/month.

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    Let payroll handle Notice pay for you

    Payroll Africa calculates it automatically every month for South African employers — SARS-aligned, with payslips, EMP201 and IRP5 included.

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