Leave Pay Calculator
See how much annual leave you have earned this cycle, how many days are unused and what they are worth.
Your pay and leave
Worked example
These are the calculator's starting values, so the results above match this example until you change an input.
Lerato works a five-day week, earns R 18 000 a month and gets the minimum of 15 working days of annual leave a year. She resigns eight months into her leave cycle, having taken 4 days.
She has earned 10 days so far (15 × 8 ÷ 12), so 6 days are unused.
A day’s pay is R 831,41 (monthly pay ÷ 4.33 ÷ 5), so her employer must pay out R 4 988,45 for the unused leave with her final pay.
How much annual leave you get
Under section 20 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997, you are entitled to at least 21 consecutive days of annual leave on full pay in each 12-month leave cycle. That is 15 working days for a five-day week and 18 for a six-day week. By agreement, it can instead be one day for every 17 days worked, or one hour for every 17 hours.
| Days worked a week | Minimum leave a year |
|---|---|
| 5 | 15 working days |
| 6 | 18 working days |
| Any | 1 day for every 17 days worked (by agreement) |
Leave pay when you leave
Section 40 says that when your employment ends, your employer must pay you for annual leave you have earned but not taken, including unused leave from the previous cycle if it has not expired. Leave must be taken within six months of the end of the cycle, so very old leave may have fallen away unless your contract says otherwise.
Working out a day’s pay
For monthly earners, a day’s pay is the monthly pay divided by 4.33 weeks and then by the number of days worked in a week. Some employers divide by 21.67 for a five-day week, which gives almost the same answer. The payout is taxed as normal income.
How this calculator works
It works out the leave earned so far as your yearly leave × months worked ÷ 12, takes away the days taken, and values the rest at a day’s pay. If you have taken more leave than you have earned, no payout is shown.
Sections 20, 21, 35 and 40 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997. Checked 16 October 2026. This page is general educational information, not legal or tax advice. Sectoral determinations, bargaining council agreements and your contract can give you more than the legal minimum.
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Open calculator →Frequently asked questions
How many leave days do I get a year in South Africa?
At least 21 consecutive days, which is 15 working days if you work a five-day week, or 18 for a six-day week.
Must my employer pay out unused leave when I resign?
Yes. Annual leave you have earned but not taken must be paid out with your final pay, whether you resign, retire or are dismissed.
Can my employer pay me instead of letting me take leave?
No. While you are still employed, annual leave must be taken, not paid out, except when the employment ends.
Is sick leave paid out when I leave?
No. Only annual leave is paid out. Sick leave and family responsibility leave are not.