At a glance
- On 8 March 2024, the Department of Employment and Labour released the new Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997 (BCEA) earnings threshold.
- The earnings threshold has been increased from ZAR241,110.59 per annum (which amounts to ZAR20,093.00 per month) to ZAR254,371.67 per annum (which amounts to ZAR21,197.00 per month) with effect from 1 April 2024.
- Employees earning above this threshold are excluded from various sections of the BCEA, namely sections 9 (Ordinary hours of work); 10 (Overtime); 11 (Compressed working week); 12 (Averaging of hours of work); 13 (Determination of hours of work by Minister); 14 (Meal intervals); 15 (Daily and weekly rest period); 16 (Pay for work on Sundays); 17 (Night work – 17(2) that deals with transport and night shift allowances); and 18 (Public holidays – 18(3) that deals with payment for work on a public holiday that falls on a day on which the employee would ordinarily not have worked).
- Employees earning less than the threshold amount enjoy full protection and rights under the above sections of the BCEA.
- The Department of Employment and Labour has also released the new National Minimum Wage which has increased the minimum wage from ZAR25,42 per hour to ZAR27,58 per hour from 1 March 2024 for all employees across all sectors.
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