Overtime Calculator South Africa

Under Section 10 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), overtime on weekdays is paid at 1.5 times the normal hourly rate. Work on Sundays and public holidays is paid at 2 times the normal hourly rate. Overtime only applies to hours worked beyond the normal 45-hour work week.

The BCEA limits overtime to a maximum of 10 hours per week and 3 hours per day. This can only be worked by agreement between the employer and employee. Any overtime beyond these limits is a contravention of labour law.

No. Overtime can only be worked by agreement between the employer and the employee. Your employer cannot force you to work overtime. The agreement can be part of your employment contract or a separate arrangement, but it must be voluntary.

If you are paid a monthly salary, divide your monthly salary by 4.333 (average weeks per month), then divide by your normal daily hours. For a 5-day week: hourly rate = monthly salary / 4.333 / 9. For a 6-day week: hourly rate = monthly salary / 4.333 / 8.

Employees who earn above the BCEA earnings threshold (currently R261,748.45 per year, effective 1 April 2025) may be excluded from overtime provisions. Senior managers and employees in certain executive roles may also be exempt. However, the employer must still comply with other BCEA provisions.

A compressed work week allows employees to work up to 12 hours per day without overtime pay, provided total weekly hours do not exceed 45 and the arrangement is agreed upon in writing. This is common in shift work and manufacturing environments.