How does annual leave accrue in South Africa?

Annual leave accrues progressively throughout the 12-month leave cycle at a rate of 1 day for every 17 days worked, or by agreement at 1.25 days per month for a 5-day week employee. Leave does not vest upfront — it builds up over the year starting from zero at the beginning of each cycle.

Does annual leave expire if not taken?

Leave accrued in one cycle that is not taken may be carried over to the next cycle. However, employers may include forfeiture clauses in employment contracts that limit accumulation. The 2024 Hartley v SMD Trading Group judgment clarified that forfeiture clauses are valid for contractual leave above the BCEA minimum, but the statutory minimum (15 working days for a 5-day week) cannot be forfeited without being taken or paid out.

Leave Days Calculator South Africa

Q: How many leave days am I entitled to in South Africa?

Under BCEA Section 20, employees working a 5-day week are entitled to 21 consecutive days (15 working days) of paid annual leave per leave cycle. Employees working a 6-day week are entitled to 21 consecutive days (18 working days). Your employment contract or collective agreement may provide more than this statutory minimum.

Q: Can annual leave be paid out instead of taken?

No. Under the BCEA, an employer may not pay an employee instead of granting leave during employment. Leave must be taken as actual time off. The only time leave can be paid out is upon termination of employment, when any outstanding leave balance must be paid at the employee's daily rate of remuneration.

Q: How much sick leave am I entitled to in South Africa?

Under BCEA Section 22, employees are entitled to 30 days sick leave per 36-month cycle (for a 5-day week), or 36 days for a 6-day week. In the first 6 months of employment, sick leave is limited to 1 day for every 26 days worked. A medical certificate is required for absences of 2 or more consecutive days or on more than 2 occasions in any 8-week period.

Calculate your annual leave entitlement, accrued balance and rand value under BCEA Section 20. Updated for 2026 — based on current South African labour law.

Understanding your leave entitlement should be simple. This calculator shows exactly how many leave days you are entitled to under the BCEA, how many you have accrued so far in your current cycle, your remaining balance, and what that balance is worth in rand — whether you're planning time off or calculating a payout on termination.

Enter Your Details

Monthly gross salary (R) Used to calculate the rand value of your leave

Working days per week Determines your BCEA leave entitlement

Leave days per year (contract) BCEA minimum: 15 days (5-day week). Check your contract.

Months completed in current cycle How far into your current 12-month leave cycle?

Leave days already taken this cycle Days taken since your leave cycle started

Leave days carried over from last cycle Unused leave from previous cycle (if any)

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Enter your salary and work details above to calculate your leave entitlement and balance.

How Annual Leave Works in South Africa

Annual leave in South Africa is governed by Section 20 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). Every employee who works more than 24 hours per month for the same employer is entitled to paid annual leave. The BCEA sets the minimum entitlement — your employment contract or collective agreement may provide for more, but never less.

A common source of confusion is the difference between consecutive days and working days. The BCEA states the entitlement as 21 consecutive calendar days — not 21 working days. For a 5-day week employee, 21 consecutive days includes 6 weekend days, leaving 15 actual working days of paid leave. For a 6-day week employee, 21 consecutive days includes 3 weekend days, giving 18 working days of paid leave.

Annual Leave Entitlement by Work Pattern

Work pattern	Consecutive days (BCEA)	Working days	Monthly accrual
5 days/week (Mon–Fri)	21 days	15 working days	1.25 days/month
6 days/week (Mon–Sat)	21 days	18 working days	1.5 days/month

How Annual Leave Accrues

Leave does not vest upfront at the start of a leave cycle. It accrues progressively throughout the 12-month cycle, starting at zero. Under the BCEA, leave accrues at the rate of 1 day for every 17 days worked — which for a 5-day week employee works out to approximately 1.25 days per month.

This means a 5-day week employee who has completed 6 months of their leave cycle has accrued 7.5 days of leave (6 × 1.25), regardless of how many days they may have been granted upfront by their employer.

Step-by-Step Leave Accrual Example

An employee earns R18,000 per month, works a 5-day week, is entitled to 15 days per year, has completed 8 months of their current cycle, and has taken 5 days already.

/* Step 1 — Monthly accrual rate */ 15 days ÷ 12 months = 1.25 days per month /* Step 2 — Accrued to date */ 1.25 × 8 months = 10 days accrued /* Step 3 — Remaining balance */ 10 days − 5 days taken = 5 days remaining /* Step 4 — Daily rate */ R18,000 ÷ 21.67 = R830.88 per day /* Step 5 — Leave balance value */ 5 days × R830.88 = R4,154.40

Item	Calculation	Result
Annual entitlement	5 days/week × 3 weeks	15 working days
Monthly accrual	15 ÷ 12	1.25 days/month
Accrued to date	1.25 × 8 months	10 days
Leave taken	—	5 days
Remaining balance	10 − 5	5 days
Daily rate	R18,000 ÷ 21.67	R830.88
Leave balance value	5 × R830.88	R4,154.40

Leave Payout on Termination

When employment ends — whether through resignation, retrenchment, or dismissal — your employer must pay out any outstanding leave balance. This is governed by Section 40 of the BCEA. The payout is calculated at your normal daily rate of remuneration and is taxed as regular income at your marginal PAYE rate (not under the lump sum tax table).

Importantly, you cannot agree to forfeit your leave payout. Section 40 creates a mandatory obligation on the employer — no contract clause can override it.

Can You Take Leave Before It Has Accrued?

Many employers grant employees their full annual leave entitlement at the start of the cycle — before it has technically accrued. This is permitted under the BCEA but creates a risk for the employer: if the employee then resigns before the leave has been earned, the employer may find themselves unable to recover the advance leave as a debt.

Employees should check their employment contracts to understand whether their employer operates on an advance-grant or a pro-rata accrual basis, as this affects how much leave is available at any point in the year.

Other Leave Types Under the BCEA

The BCEA also provides for the following leave types which run separately from annual leave:

Leave type	Entitlement (5-day week)	Cycle
Annual leave	15 working days	12 months
Sick leave	30 days	36 months
Family responsibility	3 days	12 months
Maternity leave	4 consecutive months	Per pregnancy
Parental leave	10 consecutive days	Per birth/adoption

Frequently Asked Questions

How many leave days am I entitled to in South Africa?

Under BCEA Section 20, employees working 5 days a week are entitled to 21 consecutive days (15 working days) of paid annual leave per 12-month cycle. Employees working 6 days a week are entitled to 21 consecutive days (18 working days). Your employment contract may provide more than the BCEA minimum — it cannot legally provide less.

How does leave accrue each month?

Leave accrues at 1 day for every 17 days worked — which equals 1.25 days per month for a 5-day week employee. It builds progressively from zero at the start of each 12-month cycle. At the 6-month mark a 5-day week employee has accrued 7.5 days. At the 12-month mark the full 15 days are accrued.

Can annual leave be paid out instead of taken?

Not during employment. The BCEA prohibits an employer from paying out annual leave instead of granting actual time off. The only exception is on termination of employment, when any outstanding leave balance must be paid out at the employee's daily rate of remuneration. This payout is taxed as normal income.

Does annual leave expire if I do not take it?

Leave may be carried over from one cycle to the next if not taken. However, employers may include forfeiture clauses in contracts that limit how much leave can accumulate. Following the 2024 Hartley judgment, the statutory BCEA minimum (15 working days for a 5-day week) cannot be forfeited — it must either be taken or paid out. Leave above the statutory minimum may be subject to forfeiture if your contract says so.

How much sick leave am I entitled to?

Under BCEA Section 22, employees working a 5-day week are entitled to 30 days sick leave per 36-month cycle. In the first 6 months of employment, sick leave is limited to 1 day for every 26 days worked. Your employer may require a medical certificate for absences of 2 or more consecutive days, or on more than 2 occasions in any 8-week period.

Can my employer refuse annual leave in South Africa?

An employer can determine when leave is taken, but must allow at least 21 days in each leave cycle. Leave cannot be forfeited — unused leave must be paid out on termination. Employers can require advance notice for leave requests and may decline dates for operational reasons, but must schedule the leave within the cycle.

What happens to unused leave when I resign in South Africa?

All unused accrued annual leave must be paid out at resignation or termination. The payout is calculated at your current rate of remuneration. Leave pay is treated as income and taxed at your marginal PAYE rate in the month it is paid — it does not qualify for any special tax treatment.

How is leave pay calculated in South Africa?

Leave pay = (monthly salary ÷ 21.67 working days) × number of leave days. For weekly-paid employees: weekly wage ÷ 5 × leave days. Remuneration includes basic salary and any regular cash allowances that form part of the employment contract. Commission-only employees use an average of the last 13 weeks.

Do public holidays count as leave days in South Africa?

No. Public holidays are separate from annual leave. If a public holiday falls within your annual leave, it does not count as a leave day — your leave is extended by the number of public holidays falling within it. South Africa has 17 public holidays in 2026.

Related Calculators

These tools work alongside your leave entitlement calculation:

For domestic workers specifically, see our complete guide: Domestic Worker Rights in South Africa — leave, pay, UIF and employer duties.

Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates based on BCEA Section 20 minimum entitlements. Actual leave entitlements may differ based on your employment contract, bargaining council agreements, or specific workplace policies. Leave calculations vary depending on work schedules, shift patterns, and whether public holidays fell during leave periods. This calculator does not constitute legal advice. If you have a dispute about your leave entitlement or payout, consult the CCMA or a registered labour lawyer. Read full disclaimer →