Working on Sundays in South Africa: Know Your Pay

Many South Africans work on Sundays. This includes people working in restaurants, shops, security, healthcare, hospitality and other industries.

But did you know that special rules can apply when you work on a Sunday?

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) provides rules about Sunday work and how employees should be paid.

If Sunday is normally part of your working schedule

If you normally work on Sundays, the law generally provides for payment of at least 1.5 times your normal wage for the Sunday work, subject to the rules that apply to your employment.

If you normally do not work on Sundays

If Sunday is normally a day when you do not work and your employer asks you to work, you can generally be entitled to double your normal wage for the hours worked, subject to the applicable legal rules.

For example, if your normal hourly rate is R50 and you normally do not work Sundays:

• Normal hourly rate = R50
• Sunday rate at double pay = R100 per hour
• 4 Sunday hours = R400

This is a simple example. Your actual pay can depend on your contract, industry and other rules that apply to your employment.

Why should you check your payslip?

If you work on a Sunday, check your payslip to see whether your Sunday work has been recorded correctly.

• Check the number of Sunday hours you worked.
• Check the rate used to calculate your pay.
• Keep your work schedule or timesheet.
• Keep your payslips.
• Ask your employer if something does not look correct.
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What if you are unsure about your rights?

Do not guess. Your employment contract and the rules that apply to your industry are important. You can also contact the Department of Employment and Labour for information about your rights.

Job seeker tip: Before accepting a job that requires weekend work, ask which days you will work, how Sunday work is paid and whether weekend work is included in your normal schedule.

Knowing your rights does not mean you are difficult. It means you are prepared and understand the value of your work.