What Is the New UIF Earnings Threshold in 2026? (Full Guide for Workers & Employers)

What Is the New UIF Earnings Threshold in 2026? (Full Guide for Workers & Employers) Section 6 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act makes provision for the Minister of Labour to publish a determination on the advice of the Commission that will exclude employees earning above a certain amount per year from sections of chapter 2 of the Act. Chapter 2 primarily deals with the regulation of working hours of employees.

“Earnings” means gross pay before deductions, i.e. (before deducting) income tax, pension, medical and similar payments, but excluding similar payments (contributions) made by the employer in respect of the employee.”

Increase in threshold

The earnings threshold, which is determined by the Minister of Employment and Labour from time to time in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act of 1997 (the BCEA), has been increased to R269600,90 per year (R22466,74 per month) with effect from 1 May 2026. This is an increase of 3%.

What is the effect of the threshold?

The effect of the earnings threshold is that the limitations, protections or the right to additional pay afforded by certain provisions of the BCEA, do not apply to employees earning more than the new threshold. These provisions are:

– section 9 (hours of work)
– section 10 (overtime)
– section 11 (compressed working week)
– section 12 (averaging of hours)
– section 14 (meal intervals)
– section 15 (daily and weekly rest periods)
– section 16 (pay for work on Sundays)
– section 17 (2) (night work), and
– section 18 (3) (public holidays on which the employee would not ordinarily work)

The previous threshold was R261748,45 per year. This means that employees who currently earn between R261748,45 and R269600,90 per year (and were previously excluded from benefiting from these provisions) now join the ranks of those who are entitled to payment for overtime, double pay for work on public holidays, etc., notwithstanding the fact that their contracts might state that they do not qualify.

What is meant by earnings?

For purposes of the new threshold “earnings” means the regular annual remuneration before deductions, i.e., income tax, pension, medical and similar payments, but excluding similar payments (contributions) made by the employer in respect of the employee. Subsistence and transport allowances received, achievement awards and payments for overtime worked, are not regarded as remuneration for the purpose of this notice.

Can existing contracts be changed?

Existing contractual provisions with employees who earn in excess of the threshold that are more favourable to the employee, for example provisions that provide for additional pay for overtime, Sunday work etc., remain valid and enforceable. An employer may not simply take these away. Any changes to existing terms and conditions of employment will have to be negotiated with the employee.

What about senior managerial employees?

Most of the provisions of the BCEA that regulate working time do not apply to senior managerial employees, even if they earn less than the threshold. While the scope of the exclusions for senior managerial employees is slightly wider than the provisions mentioned above, the differences are subtle and we shall not elaborate on them in this article.

A senior managerial employee is “an employee who has the authority to hire, discipline and dismiss employees and to represent the employer internally and externally”.

Other implications of the threshold

The earnings threshold has some other implications, such as –

• Monetary claims: Employees may refer a dispute concerning the failure to pay any amount owing in terms of the BCEA, a contract of employment, a sectoral determination or a collective agreement to the CCMA (Section 73A of the BCEA). If the dispute is not resolved during the Conciliation stage, an employee would normally have the option to refer it to Arbitration by the CCMA. However, an employee who earns above the threshold has to refer the dispute to the Labour Court for adjudication.
• Fixed-term contracts: Employees who earn below the threshold and are employed for a period exceeding 3 months, may be regarded as permanently/indefinitely employed if there is no a justifiable reason for the limited duration of the contract (Section 198B of the LRA). Those who earn above the threshold do not enjoy the same protection.
• Unfair discrimination disputes: Unfair discrimination disputes have to be referred to the CCMA for Conciliation. If unresolved, employees would normally have the option to refer such disputes to the CCMA for Arbitration (Section 10(6)(aA) of the EEA). Those who earn above the threshold have to refer such disputes to the Labour Court for adjudication.
• Temporary employment services (TES): Employees earning below the threshold may be deemed permanent employees of the client of the TES in certain circumstances, for example if they are placed with the client for a period exceeding 3 months or if they are not merely substituting an employee who is temporarily absent (Section 198A(3)(b) of the LRA). The same does not apply to those earning above the threshold – they remain the employees of the TES.

What is the Maximum Amount that Can Be Deducted for UIF?

Employers are required to deduct 1% of an employee’s gross salary and to contribute an additional 1% to the UIF fund. This means that the total UIF contribution is 2% of the employee’s gross salary, but you only have the 1% amount removed from your payslip. Your employer pays the additional 1% from their money on your behalf.

There is a maximum amount of UIF that can be deducted, updated and issued regularly by SARS. In 2024, this amount will be R177.12 paid from your earnings and matched by your employer, for a total maximum contribution of R354.24. This threshold has been in place since June 2021, when it was last updated. You can always monitor if there are changes to the UIF amount by checking the SARS website.

Which Employees are Exempt from UIF?

There are certain categories of employees who are exempt from contributing to UIF. These are:

• Employees who work less than 24 hours per month for an employer (i.e part time workers)
• Employees who are employed by a foreign government and are not liable to pay tax in South Africa. This includes people who are employed in South Africa for a period of less than 12 months and who are not expected to work in South Africa for more than 12 months.
• Employees who are employed as public servants and government officials, such as civil servants, members of parliament, or members of provincial legislatures, including municipalities and government-funded entities.
• Employees who are employed in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)

Remember that you will also become ineligible for UIF if you are dismissed for theft, bad behavior, or certain other conditions- although this does not make you exempt from paying UIF.

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