Ten Questions Worth Asking When You Interview a Domestic Worker
A short interview tells you more than a long CV, provided you ask the right things. Here is the list we give every client before their first meeting.
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Employing someone in your home makes you an employer under South African law. The requirements are not complicated, and getting them right protects everybody.
A written agreement
Put the job in writing: duties, hours, pay, pay date, leave, notice period and what happens on public holidays. Both parties sign and both keep a copy.
UIF registration
Domestic workers who work more than 24 hours a month must be registered for the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Registration is done through the Department of Employment and Labour and contributions are shared between employer and employee.
Minimum wage and hours
The national minimum wage for domestic workers is reviewed each year. Ordinary hours, overtime and Sunday work are set out in Sectoral Determination 7. Pay above the minimum for skilled, experienced staff is common across South Africa.
Leave
Annual leave, sick leave and family responsibility leave all apply to domestic workers. Track them on a simple sheet so there is never a dispute.
Where we help
We guide our clients through each of these points during placement. We are a placement agency rather than a law firm, so for a complex situation speak to a labour specialist.
Need help applying any of this to your own household? Call 066 103 6914 and we will talk it through, whether or not you place through us.
