Notice Period Calculator
Find the minimum notice you must give or receive, when it ends and what notice pay is worth.
Your job and notice
Worked example
These are the calculator's starting values, so the results above match this example until you change an input.
Sipho has worked for his employer for two and a half years, earns R 15 000 a month and his contract does not set a longer notice period.
Because he has worked there for more than a year, the minimum notice is 4 weeks. Notice given on 2 November 2026 runs until 30 November 2026.
If his employer asks him not to work the notice period, it must pay him instead: R 13 856,81, which is four weeks of pay at his monthly pay divided by 4.33.
Minimum notice under the BCEA
Section 37 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 sets the minimum notice for ending a contract of employment. It applies to both sides: when you resign and when your employer dismisses you.
| Time with the employer | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| 6 months or less | 1 week |
| More than 6 months, up to 1 year | 2 weeks |
| More than 1 year | 4 weeks |
| Domestic or farm worker, more than 6 months | 4 weeks |
Your contract may require longer notice, such as one calendar month, but it cannot set a shorter one than the law allows (a collective agreement can reduce 4 weeks to 2). Notice must be given in writing, unless the employee cannot write.
Notice pay instead of working
An employer can ask you not to work your notice period, but it must then pay you what you would have earned during it. The calculator uses monthly pay divided by 4.33 for each week of notice. Notice pay is taxed as normal salary through PAYE.
Leave and notice
Notice cannot be given during your annual leave, and it cannot be set off against leave without your agreement. Unused annual leave must still be paid out on your last day; the leave pay calculator works out how much.
How this calculator works
It picks the BCEA minimum from your months of service and type of work, uses your contract’s notice if that is longer, and counts the weeks from the date notice is given. It does not handle notice given during probation or under a bargaining council agreement with different terms.
Section 37 and section 38 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
What is the notice period when resigning in South Africa?
At least 1 week in the first 6 months, 2 weeks from 6 months to a year, and 4 weeks after a year, unless your contract says more.
Can my employer make me leave without working my notice?
Yes, but they must pay you for the notice period as if you had worked it.
Can I resign without notice?
Only by agreement with your employer. Otherwise the employer may deduct the notice period from final pay that is owed to you, or claim damages.
Does notice pay attract tax?
Yes. Notice pay is taxed as normal income through PAYE, unlike severance pay, which uses the lump sum table.