Pay & Employment
Notice Period Calculator
BCEA notice of one, two or four weeks from your length of service, with pay instead of notice.
Result
Updates as you typeMinimum notice period
4 weeks
- Length of service
- 2 years, 8 months, 26 days
- Rule applied
- s 37(1)(c)(i): one year or more
- Pay instead of notice (s 38)
- R 18 461,54
How it's calculated
Section 37 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act fixes the minimum notice either side must give to end a contract of employment, by length of service: one week in the first six months, two weeks up to a year, four weeks from a year on. Farm and domestic workers reach four weeks after six months. Under section 38 the employer may pay the remuneration for the notice period instead of having it worked, and the Act values a month at 4⅓ weeks.
Worked example
Started 1 February 2024, notice given 31 May 2026, R 20 000 a month:
- Service 2 years 4 months → one year or more → 4 weeks' notice
- Pay instead of notice: R 20 000 / 4⅓ × 4 = R 18 461,54
Notice periods under section 37
| Length of service | Employees | Farm and domestic workers |
|---|---|---|
| Length of service: Six months or less | Employees1 week | Farm and domestic workers1 week |
| Length of service: More than six months, up to one year | Employees2 weeks | Farm and domestic workers4 weeks |
| Length of service: One year or more | Employees4 weeks | Farm and domestic workers4 weeks |
Frequently asked questions
How much notice must I give when I resign?
The same as your employer must give you under section 37: 1 week if you have worked six months or less, 2 weeks if more than six months but not more than a year, and 4 weeks after a year or more. A contract may not require you to give more notice than the employer must give.
What is the notice after 2 years' service?
4 weeks. Instead of working the notice, an employer may pay what you would have earned during it (section 38): on R 20 000 a month that is R 18 461,54, using the Act's rule that a month is 4⅓ weeks.
Do farm and domestic workers have different notice?
Yes: a farm worker or domestic worker employed for more than six months is entitled to 4 weeks' notice, the same as other employees get only after a year.
Can a contract or agreement change the notice period?
A contract can give longer notice but not shorter than the Act, and never longer for the employee than for the employer. A collective agreement may reduce the four-week period to not less than two weeks. Notice must be in writing, and may not run during annual leave.
What if I leave without notice?
The employer may claim the notice pay it lost, usually by deduction from your final pay, and you lose the pay for the notice period. Dismissal without notice is only allowed for serious misconduct, and the Labour Relations Act's fairness rules still apply.
Sources
Statutory minimum under the BCEA; contracts and collective agreements can differ within the Act's limits. Results are for guidance only.
Updated: