BCEA leave management with balances you can trust

BCEA leave types at a glance

The figures below are the statutory minimums for employees covered by the BCEA. Employment contracts, bargaining council agreements or sectoral determinations may give more.

• Annual leave (section 20): at least 21 consecutive days per 12-month annual leave cycle, or by agreement 1 day for every 17 days worked, or 1 hour for every 17 hours worked
• Sick leave (section 22): over a 36-month cycle, paid sick leave equal to the number of days the employee would normally work in 6 weeks; during the first 6 months of employment, 1 day for every 26 days worked
• Family responsibility leave (section 27): 3 days per annual leave cycle for employees employed for longer than 4 months who work at least 4 days a week
• Maternity leave (section 25): at least 4 consecutive months; the BCEA does not require it to be paid, but employees may claim benefits from the UIF
• Parental, adoption and commissioning parental leave: introduced by 2019 amendments and reshaped by a 2025 Constitutional Court judgment, so confirm the current position before applying it

Medical certificates and sick leave

Under section 23 of the BCEA, an employer is not required to pay sick leave if the employee has been absent for more than two consecutive days, or on more than two occasions in an eight-week period, and does not produce a medical certificate. Compliance Junkie lets employees upload certificates with the leave request, and flags absences where one is needed.

How Compliance Junkie handles leave

Because leave sits in the same system as timesheets and payroll, approved leave automatically reflects on payslips and attendance reports. HR and payroll work from the same numbers, which cuts disputes and month-end rework.

• Automatic accrual and cycle tracking for each leave type, based on start date and working days
• Leave requests and approvals online or via WhatsApp self-service
• Pro-rated balances for new starters, part-time staff and terminations
• Maternity leave with UI-19 and break-in-service handling
• Leave pay-outs on termination calculated into the final payslip
• Leave forms and balance reports as PDFs for employee files

Configurable to your policy

Many employers give more than the BCEA minimum, or follow a bargaining council agreement. You can configure leave types, entitlements and approval rules per company, while the system still checks that statutory minimums are met.

Frequently asked questions

How many days of annual leave does the BCEA give?

At least 21 consecutive days per 12-month cycle, or by agreement 1 day for every 17 days worked (or 1 hour for every 17 hours worked), under section 20.

How does the sick leave cycle work?

Sick leave runs over a 36-month cycle. Employees get paid sick leave equal to the days they would normally work in 6 weeks, with a reduced accrual of 1 day per 26 days worked during the first 6 months.

Who qualifies for family responsibility leave?

Employees who have worked for the employer for longer than 4 months and work at least 4 days a week qualify for 3 days per annual cycle under section 27.

Is maternity leave paid?

The BCEA provides at least four consecutive months of maternity leave but does not require the employer to pay it. Employees may claim maternity benefits from the UIF, unless a contract or agreement provides for pay.