Calculate your public holiday pay based on South African labour laws.
How Public Holiday Pay Works in South Africa
In South Africa, public holidays are governed by Section 18 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). The law ensures that employees do not lose out on income because of a public holiday and are fairly compensated if they are required to work.
There are two main factors that determine your pay:
- Is it an “ordinary” working day? (Would you normally have worked on this day if it weren’t a holiday?)
- Did you actually work?
The Calculation Rules:
| Scenario | Requirement | Pay Rate |
| Holiday on a normal work day | Employee does NOT work | Full ordinary daily wage. |
| Holiday on a normal work day | Employee DOES work | Double the ordinary wage (or ordinary wage + hours worked—whichever is greater). |
| Holiday on a non-working day | Employee DOES work | Ordinary daily wage + wage for the hours actually worked. |
How to Use the Calculator
To get an accurate result, you will need to input the following information:
- Ordinary Daily Wage: Your basic pay for a normal day of work (before overtime).
- Is it an Ordinary Working Day? Select ‘Yes’ if you usually work on the day of the week the holiday falls on (e.g., if the holiday is a Monday and you always work Mondays).
- Hours Worked: Enter ‘0’ if you had the day off, or enter the total hours you worked on the holiday.
- Hourly Rate: Your total salary divided by your monthly or weekly hours.
Important Legal Rules to Remember
1. The Sunday Rule
According to the Public Holidays Act, whenever a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is also considered a public holiday. This means if you work on that Monday, you are entitled to public holiday pay rates.
2. Work is by Agreement Only
An employer cannot force you to work on a public holiday unless there is a formal agreement in place (usually found in your employment contract).
3. The “In Lieu” Option
While the default is double pay for working a holiday, an employer and employee can agree to exchange the public holiday for another paid day off.
4. Earnings Threshold
Note that senior management or employees earning above the ministerial earnings threshold (currently R254,371.67 per year as of 2024/2025) may have different contractual arrangements regarding holiday pay and overtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I work a night shift that starts on a holiday?
If the majority of your shift falls on the public holiday, the whole shift is treated as public holiday work. If the majority of the shift falls on a normal day, it is treated as a normal shift.
Do part-time or commission earners get holiday pay?
Yes. The BCEA applies to all employees (except independent contractors). For commission earners, the “daily wage” is usually calculated based on their average earnings over the previous 13 weeks.
Can my employer deduct a public holiday from my annual leave?
No. Public holidays are separate from your annual leave. If a public holiday falls during your annual leave period, that day must be treated as a public holiday and not deducted from your leave balance.