SA households face June 2026 deadline for domestic worker earnings submissions
Thousands of South African households are required by law to submit earnings returns for their domestic workers. Here is what you need to know before the deadline hits.
The Department of Employment and Labour has gazetted the submission window for annual Returns of Earnings (ROEs) for the 2025 period, running from 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2026.
This applies to all employers registered under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA), including households that employ domestic workers.
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Who qualifies as a domestic worker?
Domestic workers include cleaners, gardeners, household drivers and caretakers of children, the elderly or the frail.
Previously excluded from COIDA, domestic workers were added following a 2020 Constitutional Court ruling.
Since 2021, they have been entitled to compensation if injured or if they contract a disease while on duty.
The 2023 regulations further formalised domestic workers as an employment category, making them eligible for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
What are employers required to do?
Employers of domestic workers must register with the Compensation Fund and contribute to it. Once registered, they are required to submit an ROE annually.
The ROE is calculated based on the employee's annual earnings, including overtime and bonus payments, reports BusinessTech.
The department encourages employers to use its online portal to submit on time.
What happens if the deadline is missed?
A penalty of 10% will be charged for late submission after the prescribed deadline. Interest will also be charged on accounts settled more than 30 days after the invoice date and on overdue accounts.
Employers are additionally required to notify the Compensation Fund of any changes to their particulars within seven days of such a change.
What is the update on third-party registration?
The DEL has also gazetted a delay to regulations requiring third-party intermediaries to register with the Compensation Fund.
Originally set for 1 March 2026, the effective date has been deferred to 1 January 2027 while the online registration process is finalised.
The Compensation Fund has committed to providing progress updates and conducting stakeholder engagement sessions in the interim.
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