Leave is an employee's entitlement to be absent from work for a period while keeping their job, and in most cases their pay. South African leave entitlements are set as minimums by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, and an employer may offer more but not less.
What it means
Leave is the umbrella over several distinct types, each with its own rules: annual leave for rest, sick leave for illness, maternity and parental leave around the birth of a child, and family responsibility leave for defined family events. Some leave is fully paid, some is unpaid, and some is paid through the UIF rather than the employer.
Where it fits in
Leave touches payroll in two ways: paid leave is paid as part of normal earnings for the period, and accrued-but-untaken annual leave is paid out on termination. Where the system does not track balances, leave still has to be reflected in what an employee is paid each period.
Key rules
- A statutory right, with minimums set by the BCEA.
- Covers annual, sick, maternity, parental and family responsibility leave.
- Some leave is employer-paid, some unpaid, some funded through the UIF.
- Untaken annual leave is paid out on termination.
