If you employ a domestic worker — a cleaner, gardener, nanny or carer — you have the same UIF obligations as any employer, and your worker has the same rights. Domestic workers have been covered by the Unemployment Insurance Fund since April 2003, yet it remains one of the most commonly ignored obligations in South African households. Here’s what the law requires, what it costs, and what your worker can claim.
Is your domestic worker covered?
The rule is simple: any employee who works 24 or more hours a month for you must be registered for UIF — including domestic workers. Only someone working less than that (a few hours a week, for example) falls outside the system.
What it costs
Exactly the same as any other employment:
- You pay: 1% of the worker’s salary (on earnings up to R17,712/month).
- You deduct from their pay: another 1%.
- Total to the fund: 2% of salary.
Example: a domestic worker earning R4,500 a month:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Deducted from worker’s pay (1%) | R45.00 |
| Your contribution (1%) | R45.00 |
| Total to UIF | R90.00 |
That’s R90 a month for a full safety net — unemployment, illness, maternity, adoption and death benefits. Compared with any other household expense, it’s small; the consequences of skipping it can be large.
How to register
- Register as an employer — on uFiling (form UI-8D for domestic employers) or at your nearest Labour Centre.
- Declare your worker on form UI-19, with their ID number, salary and start date.
- Pay monthly by the 7th of the following month — through uFiling, or via SARS if you’re already registered for PAYE.
- Update the declaration whenever the salary or employment changes, and give your worker a UI-19 when they leave — they need it to claim.
If you’ve been employing someone for years without registering, register now. Back-registration is possible but attracts arrears, interest and penalties — and voluntary registration before an inspection gets a better outcome than being found out.
What happens if you don’t register?
Three things, in increasing order of pain:
- Your worker can’t claim. Their contribution history is empty, so retrenchment, illness or maternity leave means no benefit — and they may not know why until they apply.
- You owe arrears, interest and a 10% penalty on late contributions, under the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act.
- You risk a labour inspection — undeclared employment is exactly what inspectors look for, and it rarely stops at UIF.
What your domestic worker can claim
Exactly the same five benefits as any employee:
- Unemployment — if you retrench them (downsizing, the household moving, etc.) — up to 238 days at their income replacement rate.
- Maternity — up to 121 days at a flat 66% of their daily income. Domestic workers are entitled to the same 4 months of maternity leave as everyone else.
- Illness — after 14+ days off sick, at the 66% rate.
- Adoption — up to 121 days.
- Dependant’s — if they pass away, their spouse or children can claim.
For the formulas behind these, see how UIF works.
Common questions
“My worker has two part-time jobs — do both employers pay?” Yes. Each household employing them for 24+ hours a month must register and contribute separately, and each history counts separately.
“Can my worker claim if I let them go because we’re emigrating?” If employment ends through no fault of the worker — including a household relocating or simply no longer needing a cleaner — that’s a retrenchment for UIF purposes. They can claim unemployment benefits.
“My worker resigned to go to another job — can they claim?” No. Voluntary resignation doesn’t qualify for unemployment benefits (though they can still claim maternity, illness, adoption or death benefits if those apply).
“I pay my worker per day, not per month — does UIF apply?” Yes. Contributions are calculated on whatever they earn each month, as long as they work 24+ hours. The R17,712 ceiling still applies.
Where to verify
- Department of Employment and Labour — UIF rules for domestic employers, form UI-8D and Labour Centres.
- uFiling — register, declare and pay online.
- SARS — Unemployment Insurance Fund — the ceiling and payment rules.
The system is the same as for any employer — the only difference is that the “employer” is a household. Register your worker, pay the 2%, give them their UI-19 when they leave, and they carry the same safety net as everyone else. Read how to check your UIF balance to see how they can verify their record.