Severance Pay Calculator South Africa

Calculate your minimum statutory severance package under BCEA Section 41. Includes notice pay, leave payout and a retrenchment tax estimate. Know exactly what you are owed.

Severance Pay Updated: 27 Sep 2026 · 2026/2027 tax year By Faheema Sheikh

Severance Pay South Africa: BCEA Minimum 2026

Under Section 41 of the BCEA, your minimum severance pay is 1 week's remuneration for every completed year of continuous service with the same employer. Weekly rate = monthly salary × 12 ÷ 52. The lump sum is taxed under IRP5 Code 3901 using the special retirement lump sum table, with the first R550,000 of cumulative benefits taxed at 0%, not at your ordinary PAYE rate.

Completed years of service	Minimum payout (R15,000/month)	Minimum payout (R25,000/month)
2 years	R6,923.08	R11,538.46
5 years	R17,307.69	R28,846.15
10 years	R34,615.38	R57,692.31
15 years	R51,923.08	R86,538.46
20 years	R69,230.77	R115,384.62

Facing retrenchment is stressful. Knowing your numbers shouldn't add to that stress. This calculator works out your minimum statutory severance pay under Section 41 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act: your notice pay entitlement, any unused leave payout and an estimate of the tax on your lump sum. All based on current South African labour law.

Enter your details

Monthly gross salary (R) Your full salary including regular allowances

Completed years of service Only fully completed years count

Severance weeks per year BCEA minimum is 1, check your contract

Unused leave days Accrued but not yet taken

Notice period Will your employer pay notice in lieu?

Prior lump sums received (R) Previous retrenchment or retirement payouts

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Enter your monthly salary and years of service above to calculate your severance package.

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How to Use This Calculator

Enter gross monthly salary

This is your full gross salary including regular allowances.

Enter completed years of service

Only fully completed years count for the statutory minimum; partial years are excluded.

Weekly rate is calculated

Weekly remuneration = monthly salary × 12 ÷ 52.

Statutory severance is calculated

Minimum severance = weekly rate × completed years of service.

Lump sum tax is estimated

Results show estimated tax using the retirement lump sum table (first R550,000 tax-free lifetime).

How severance pay is calculated in South Africa

Severance pay in South Africa is governed primarily by Section 41 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). When an employee is dismissed due to the employer's operational requirements (commonly known as retrenchment), they are legally entitled to a minimum severance payment. This is a statutory right that cannot be waived, even by agreement.

The formula is straightforward but the details matter. Understanding exactly what counts as "remuneration," what qualifies as a "completed year," and how the tax treatment works can significantly affect the amount you walk away with.

Severance pay isn't automatic just because a retrenchment happens, either. Under BCEA Section 41(4), if your employer offers you suitable alternative employment and you unreasonably refuse it, you forfeit your right to severance pay entirely: the provision exists to reward employers who actively work to avoid job losses, not just process them. If you reasonably refuse an unsuitable offer (wrong location, a real pay cut, a role you're not equipped for), your severance entitlement is unaffected. And if you accept the alternative role, there's no severance to pay in the first place, since your employment simply continues.

The statutory severance formula

/* BCEA Section 41: Minimum Severance Pay */ Severance Pay = Weekly Remuneration × Completed Years of Service /* Where: */ Weekly Remuneration = Monthly Salary × 12 ÷ 52 Completed Years = Full years only, partial years do not count

The BCEA defines "remuneration" broadly: it includes your basic salary plus any regular monetary payments such as housing allowances, transport allowances and regular shift payments. It does not typically include irregular bonuses or expense reimbursements.

Step-by-step manual calculation example

Let's work through a real example. An employee earns R20,000 gross per month and has worked for the same employer for 7 completed years. The employer is paying 1 week per year (the BCEA minimum), with 8 unused leave days and notice pay in lieu of 4 weeks.

Step 1: calculate weekly remuneration

R20,000 × 12 ÷ 52 = R4,615.38 per week

Step 2: calculate severance pay

R4,615.38 × 7 years = R32,307.69 severance pay

Step 3: calculate notice pay (4 weeks, in lieu)

R4,615.38 × 4 weeks = R18,461.54 notice pay

Step 4: calculate leave payout

/* Daily rate = monthly salary × 12 ÷ 260 working days (5-day week; ÷ 312 on a 6-day week) */ R20,000 × 12 ÷ 260 = R923.08 per day R923.08 × 8 days = R7,384.62 leave payout

Don't know your unused leave days off-hand? Use the Leave Days & Payout Calculator to work it out from your leave cycle and days already taken.

Step 5: total gross package

R32,307.69 + R18,461.54 + R7,384.62 = R58,153.85 total gross

Component	Calculation	Amount
Weekly remuneration	R20,000 × 12 ÷ 52	R 4,615.38
Severance pay	R4,615.38 × 7 years	R 32,307.69
Notice pay (4 weeks)	R4,615.38 × 4 weeks	R 18,461.54
Leave payout (8 days)	R923.08 × 8 days	R 7,384.62
Total gross package		R 58,153.85

Tax on severance pay: the lump sum table

This is where many retrenched workers are pleasantly surprised. Severance pay is not taxed as normal income. Instead, it is taxed under the special retirement lump sum tax table, which is significantly more favourable. For 2026/2027:

Cumulative lump sum	Tax rate
R0 – R550,000	0% (tax-free)
R550,001 – R770,000	18% on amount above R550,000
R770,001 – R1,155,000	27% on amount above R770,000
R1,155,001 and above	36% on amount above R1,155,000

Important: The R550,000 tax-free threshold is a lifetime limit. It accumulates across all retirement and retrenchment lump sums you have ever received. If you received a R200,000 severance payment five years ago, your remaining tax-free allowance is only R350,000 today.

Also note that notice pay and leave payouts are not part of the severance lump sum; they are taxed as normal income at your marginal PAYE rate. Only the pure severance component qualifies for the lump sum tax table. Use our UIF calculator to work out what you could also claim in unemployment benefits.

Is the 1-week minimum about to double?

On 27 February 2026, the Minister of Employment and Labour published the Labour Law Amendment Bill for public comment, proposing to double the BCEA Section 41 minimum from 1 week's remuneration to 2 weeks' remuneration per completed year of service. It is still a Bill, not an Act: it has not been passed by Parliament or signed into law, and its terms may still change during the process.

If it does become law, the increase is proposed to apply prospectively: it would accrue only for years of service completed after the amendment takes effect, not retroactively to service you have already worked. This calculator uses the current, in-force BCEA minimum of 1 week per completed year. We will update it the moment the amended rate is signed into law.

Your rights under the retrenchment process

South African law gives retrenched employees significant procedural rights under Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA). Your employer must:

Issue a formal Section 189 notice before beginning retrenchments
Consult with you (or your union) in a genuine, meaningful consensus-seeking process: the LRA sets no fixed minimum number of days for a standard Section 189 consultation, but rushing it risks being ruled procedurally unfair at the CCMA. Only Section 189A (employers with more than 50 employees whose retrenchment numbers cross its thresholds) sets time limits: with a facilitator, the employer cannot give notice of termination until 60 days after the Section 189(3) notice; without one, neither side can refer the dispute to the CCMA until 30 days have passed
Discuss reasons for retrenchment, alternatives and selection criteria
Apply fair and objective selection criteria (LIFO, or Last In First Out, is common)
Not select employees based on discriminatory grounds

If you believe your retrenchment was procedurally or substantively unfair, you have the right to refer a dispute to the CCMA within 30 days of your dismissal date.

Notice periods when retrenched

Under the BCEA, your employer must give you the following minimum notice, or pay you the equivalent in cash if they want you to leave sooner:

Length of service	Minimum notice period
6 months or less	1 week
More than 6 months, less than 1 year	2 weeks
1 year or more	4 weeks

What if your employer doesn't pay severance?

If your employer fails to pay the statutory minimum severance (one week's remuneration per completed year of service) following a valid retrenchment, you can refer a dispute to the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration) or your bargaining council under BCEA Section 41(6). Section 41 sets no time limit for an unpaid-severance dispute, but do not let it drift; a claim that the retrenchment itself was unfair is a separate referral with a 30-day limit from the dismissal (LRA Section 191(1)(b)(i)). The CCMA can order the employer to pay the outstanding amount, and in cases of unfair or improperly conducted retrenchment, may award additional compensation on top of the statutory severance. Keep your retrenchment letter, any consultation records and your final payslip as evidence: these are typically required to support a CCMA claim.

Severance pay vs voluntary retrenchment packages

The BCEA minimum of one week per completed year is a floor, not a ceiling: many employers, particularly larger companies undertaking restructuring, offer enhanced voluntary severance packages that exceed this minimum, sometimes calculated as two, three or more weeks per year of service to encourage voluntary uptake and reduce the number of forced retrenchments. If you're offered a voluntary package, it's worth comparing the enhanced offer against your BCEA minimum entitlement plus notice pay and leave payout. See our retrenchment calculator for the full combined package including your UIF estimate, since accepting a voluntary package typically means waiving any further claim related to the retrenchment, including potential CCMA disputes about the process itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is severance pay calculated in South Africa?

Under BCEA Section 41, the minimum is 1 week's remuneration for each completed year of continuous service. Weekly remuneration = monthly salary × 12 ÷ 52. Only fully completed years count; partial years do not qualify for the statutory minimum. Your contract or collective agreement may provide more than 1 week per year, so check your employment contract.

Is severance pay taxable in South Africa?

Yes, but under more favourable lump sum tax rates, not your normal income tax rate. The first R550,000 of your lifetime severance and retirement lump sums is completely tax-free. Amounts above that are taxed at 18%, 27% or 36% depending on the cumulative total. This is significantly cheaper than being taxed at your marginal income tax rate.

Do I qualify for severance pay if I resign?

No. Statutory severance pay under the BCEA only applies to employees dismissed due to the employer's operational requirements (retrenchment). Resignation, dismissal for misconduct or expiry of a fixed-term contract do not automatically qualify. Your employment contract may contain different terms, so check it carefully.

Can my employer offer more than 1 week per year?

Yes. The BCEA sets the minimum: 1 week per completed year. Employers can offer more, and many do, especially for senior employees or during large-scale retrenchments. Two to four weeks per completed year are the figures reported in practice, but no statute fixes a figure; that is market practice. You can also negotiate during the Section 189 consultation process. Having union representation or a labour lawyer strengthens your position.

What notice period am I entitled to when retrenched?

Under the BCEA, notice periods depend on length of service: 1 week for employees with 6 months or less of service; 2 weeks for more than 6 months but less than 1 year of service; and 4 weeks for employees with 1 year or more of service (the Act's tiers overlap at exactly one year, and we apply the 4-week tier). If your employer releases you without working the notice period, Section 38(1) requires it to pay you the remuneration you would have earned had you worked it (payment in lieu of notice).

What happens to my UIF if I am retrenched?

If you are retrenched, you can claim UIF unemployment benefits from the Department of Employment and Labour. You must register as a work-seeker and apply within 12 months of your last day (Unemployment Insurance Act section 17(2)), and the sooner the better. UIF benefits are based on your earnings history and the number of credit days you have accumulated. Use our UIF Calculator to estimate what you could receive.

What is the minimum severance pay in South Africa?

The minimum is 1 week's pay per completed year of service under the BCEA. Some employment contracts, sectoral determinations or bargaining council agreements provide for more; always check your contract first. Your employer cannot pay less than the statutory minimum.

How much severance pay will I get after 10 years in South Africa?

After 10 completed years of service, you are entitled to 10 weeks' remuneration as severance pay. On a R30,000/month salary (approximately R6,923/week), that equals R69,230 gross severance. The first R550,000 of your lifetime severance and retirement lump sums is tax-free, so this amount would be tax-free if you have not previously used up that allowance.

How does a severance pay calculator work in South Africa?

A South African severance pay calculator applies the BCEA Section 41 formula: 1 week's remuneration per completed year of continuous service. The weekly rate is calculated as monthly salary × 12 ÷ 52. For example, an employee earning R20,000/month with 8 completed years would receive a minimum of R36,923.08 (R4,615.38/week × 8 years). The calculator also estimates the tax on the lump sum, which is assessed under IRP5 Code 3901 using the retirement lump sum tax table: the first R550,000 of cumulative lifetime severance and retirement benefits is taxed at 0%, and above that at 18%, 27% or 36%.

Is there a new law increasing severance pay in South Africa?

A Bill is proposed, not yet law. The Labour Law Amendment Bill, published for public comment on 27 February 2026, proposes doubling the statutory minimum severance from 1 week to 2 weeks' remuneration per completed year of service. If passed, the increase would apply prospectively, accruing only for service completed after the amendment takes effect, not retroactively to years already worked. Until Parliament passes it and it's signed into law, the current BCEA Section 41 minimum of 1 week per completed year still applies. This calculator uses the current, in-force 1-week rate; check back here for updates once the Bill's status changes.