Scope
Assumptions and limits
This is a simplified gross-pay estimate, not legal advice. Threshold coverage, sector rules, contracts, collective agreements, actual ordinary-wage definitions and overlapping Sunday/public-holiday hours can change entitlement.
Results use the values you enter and the conventions described in the methodology below. After calculating, review the result-specific assumptions and warnings shown with the estimate.
Explore work and pay tools for related tasks in this collection.
01
How ordinary hourly pay is derived
For monthly pay, the tool uses monthly pay × 12 ÷ (52 × ordinary weekly hours). Using 52 weeks avoids hiding an approximate 4.33-week constant. Weekly pay is divided by weekly hours; daily pay is divided by ordinary hours per workday; hourly pay is used directly.
The result is a practical conversion for this simplified estimate. A contract, collective agreement, sectoral arrangement or employer payroll definition may use a more favourable ordinary-wage basis.
02
1.5×, Sunday and public-holiday rates
The default rule set values normal overtime at 1.5 times ordinary pay. Occasional Sunday work is valued at 2 times ordinary pay, while a Sunday ordinarily worked is valued at 1.5 times. On a public holiday that is an ordinary workday, the supported model uses the greater of twice the ordinary daily wage or the ordinary daily wage plus pay for hours worked. On a non-ordinary workday, it uses the ordinary daily wage plus pay for hours worked.
Do not automatically stack Sunday and public-holiday multipliers for the same hour. The applicable agreement and circumstances determine how overlapping categories are treated; enter the hour once under the category you have confirmed.
03
Total entitlement versus additional top-up
Already-paid amounts are recorded separately for weekday, Sunday and public-holiday work. Public-holiday daily-wage pay and pay for the hours worked are separate confirmations. The tool never assumes that monthly salary includes the daily wage for a public holiday on a non-ordinary workday.
BCEA threshold: the calculator warns when annualised earnings exceed R269,900.90 under the dated 2026 rule set. It does not decide legal coverage; working-time sections, agreements and contractual rights require the facts of the employment relationship.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate 1.5 times overtime?
Multiply the ordinary hourly rate by the overtime hours and by 1.5. If ordinary 1× pay is already included in salary, the additional premium may be the remaining 0.5×.
Is Sunday work always double pay?
No. In the simplified BCEA rule used here, work on an occasional Sunday is 2×, while a Sunday ordinarily worked is 1.5×. Agreements and threshold coverage can change the position.
Is overtime taxable?
Overtime generally forms part of taxable remuneration. This tool estimates gross premium pay and does not calculate PAYE on the overtime amount.
What if I earn above the BCEA earnings threshold?
Certain working-time provisions may not apply in the same way. Your contract or a collective agreement may still provide overtime rights. The calculator keeps the estimate visible and shows a warning.
Sources
Official rule sources and scope
- South African Government — Basic Conditions of Employment Act
- Department of Employment and Labour — earnings threshold announcement
Method: results come from tested code using the dated rule packs and assumptions shown on this page.
Rule packs: za-labour-2026.
Review owner: Great Future Product Engineering.
Method and content last reviewed: . Next review due: .