Free domestic worker contract (South Africa)

Create a BCEA-compliant contract for a domestic worker, gardener or au pair. The four-week notice rule and 10% accommodation cap are built in. Download it free as a PDF or editable Word document. No signup.

Do you need a contract for a domestic worker?

Yes. A domestic worker — someone who works in or around your home, including a cleaner, gardener, driver or au pair — is an employee under South African law. That means they are entitled to written particulars of employment under section 29 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, plus a separate sectoral determination that sets a minimum wage and conditions for the domestic sector. A signed written contract protects both you and the worker.

What a domestic worker contract must cover

  • The parties, the job, hours of work, the wage and how often it is paid.
  • Notice: one week in the first six months, then four weeks once employed longer than six months. Domestic workers skip the two-week band other employees get (BCEA section 37).
  • Live-in arrangements: if you provide accommodation, any deduction for it is capped at 10% of the wage.
  • UIF: if the worker does more than 24 hours a month, you must register with the UIF and contribute 1% of the wage, matched by another 1% from you.
  • Leave: 21 consecutive days' annual leave, sick leave over a three-year cycle, and family responsibility leave.

The generator above applies the notice rule, the accommodation cap and the statutory leave for you. Running their pay too? The PAYE and UIF calculator works out the deductions, and Govchain Payroll can file the UIF for you.

Need a different kind of contract?

For a permanent or fixed-term employee, use the full employment contract generator and choose the contract type that fits.

Paying a domestic worker? Govchain handles the UIF

Govchain Payroll registers your domestic worker for UIF, runs their payslips and files the monthly returns. So you stay compliant without the paperwork.

See Govchain Payroll
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Common questions

Is a written contract compulsory for a domestic worker?
Yes. A domestic worker is an employee like any other, so they are entitled to written particulars of employment under section 29 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. A signed contract protects both you and the worker if there is ever a dispute.
What notice period applies to a domestic worker?
One week if the worker has been employed for six months or less, and four weeks once they have been employed for more than six months. Domestic and farm workers skip the two-week band that applies to other employees (BCEA section 37). This generator applies that rule automatically.
Can I deduct for accommodation if the worker lives in?
Only by agreement, and the deduction is capped at 10% of the wage under the domestic worker sectoral rules. Tick the accommodation option in the generator and it adds a compliant clause with that cap.
Do I have to register a domestic worker for UIF?
Yes. If your domestic worker works more than 24 hours a month you must register them and yourself with the UIF and contribute 1% of their wage (matched by another 1% from you). The contract notes the UIF deduction; registration itself is done with the Department of Employment and Labour.
What about minimum wage?
Domestic workers are covered by the national minimum wage. Make sure the hourly or monthly rate you enter meets the current minimum for domestic workers, which the Department of Employment and Labour updates each year.
Can I download and edit the contract?
Yes. Download it as a PDF to print and sign, or as an editable Word (.docx) document if you want to adjust the wording first. Both are free and there is no signup.

This generator produces a template to get you started, not legal advice. It covers what the BCEA and the domestic worker sectoral determination require, but every household is different. For anything unusual, have a labour-law professional review the contract before you sign.