How Many Days Is Maternity Leave In South Africa

What is Maternity Leave?

Maternity leave is a type of leave that mothers or birthing parents typically take shortly before and after giving birth. In some cases, it applies when adopting a child too. Maternity leave is defined in local employment law and differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. It may be paid, unpaid, or paid in part.

How Many Days Is Maternity Leave In South Africa

121 days

Benefits are paid for a maximum duration of 17.32 weeks (121 days). (1) An employee is entitled to at least four consecutive months of maternity leave. (b) on a date from which a medical practitioner or a midwife certifies that it is necessary for the employee’s health or that of her unborn child.

How many days of maternity leave for government employees in South Africa?

4 months

The employee is entitled to 4 months of unpaid maternity leave. Maternity leave should commence one month before the expected date of birth of the child, and the employee is obliged to give the employer one month’s notice of the commencement of maternity leave.

Can I extend my maternity leave in South Africa?

EXTENSION OF LEAVE.

Employees may apply to have their maternity leave extended by a period of not more than two (2) months. The approach to approved extended maternity leave is the same as that of unpaid leave. This means that: 7.1 The extended maternity period will be unpaid.

How long is maternity leave in South Africa for men?

In South Africa, fathers are entitled to 10 days of parental leave upon the birth of the employee’s child in terms of the Labour Laws Amendment Act. Mothers are entitled to four months of unpaid maternity leave.

Which act is maternity leave in South Africa?

the BCEA Act2

According to section 25 of the BCEA Act2 which governs Maternity leave in South Africa: 1) ‘an employee is entitled to Maternity leave’ and 2) ‘an employee may commence Maternity leave.