Family responsibility leave is paid leave the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) provides for specific family events - the birth or illness of an employee's child, or the death of the employee's spouse, life partner, parent, adoptive parent, grandparent, child, adopted child, grandchild or sibling.
What it means
It exists for genuinely limited, defined circumstances rather than as general-purpose paid time off, and only employees who have worked for the employer for longer than four months and at least four days a week qualify for it.
Where it fits in
The entitlement is three days per annual leave cycle, separate from and in addition to annual leave and sick leave balances. It is paid at the employee's normal rate, and an employer can reasonably require proof of the qualifying event before paying it out.
Key rules
- Three days per annual leave cycle - it does not roll over and does not accumulate beyond the cycle.
- Only available to employees working at least four days a week for longer than four months for the employer.
- Limited to the specific qualifying events the BCEA lists - it is not discretionary compassionate leave.
- Paid at the employee's normal rate, taxed through ordinary PAYE like other leave pay.
