'It's not optional': Employers warned to register domestic workers for UIF in South Africa

The Department of Employment and Labour has warned that employers who hire a domestic worker for 24 hours or more a month are legally required to register them

The Department of Employment and Labour has warned that employers who hire a domestic worker for 24 hours or more per month are legally required to register them with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

“If you employ a domestic worker for 24 hours or more a month, you must register them with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). It's not optional, it's a legal obligation," Inspector-General Aggy Moiloa said.

This comes as domestic workers have intensified calls for stronger labour protections, with unions warning that many workers remain excluded from basic rights such as UIF registration, fair wages and proper enforcement of labour laws.

IOL previously reported that the average domestic worker in South Africa supports four dependants at home and serves as both the family's sole provider and breadwinner, according to data from SweepSouth's 2023 Report on Domestic Workers Pay and Work Conditions.