Overtime Calculator South Africa 2026
Calculate your overtime pay based on BCEA rates
Key Facts About Overtime Pay in South Africa
- Normal overtime: 1.5× regular rate (BCEA Section 10)
- Sunday work: 2× regular rate
- Public holiday: 2× regular rate
- Maximum overtime: 10 hours per week (BCEA)
- Agreement required: Employer must obtain written consent
This calculator provides estimates only. Overtime rates are based on the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA).
What the BCEA actually requires
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act sets the floor. Overtime is voluntary — an employer cannot compel it — must be by agreement, and is paid at 1,5 × your normal rate (section 10). You may not work more than 10 hours of overtime a week or 4 hours in a day beyond your normal hours, and the maximum ordinary week is 45 hours (9 hours a day on a five-day week, 8 on a six-day week).
Sunday work carries 2 × the normal rate for hourly-paid employees who do not normally work on a Sunday, and public holidays are paid at 2 × where the employee does work. Those two multipliers are where most underpayments hide.
Finding your hourly rate on a monthly salary
The accepted conversion uses 21,67 working days a month and 8 hours a day — 173,36 hours a month, or 4,33 weeks. Hourly rate = monthly salary ÷ (21,67 × 8). A salary quoted as R25 000 a month is R144,21 an hour, and therefore R216,31 for an overtime hour.
| Monthly salary | Hourly | Overtime (1,5×) | Sunday / public holiday (2×) |
|---|---|---|---|
| R15 000 | R86,53 | R129,79 | R173,05 |
| R25 000 | R144,21 | R216,31 | R288,42 |
| R40 000 | R230,73 | R346,10 | R461,47 |
Worked example — five overtime hours
R25 000 a month, 5 overtime hours in the month
- Hourly rate: R25 000 ÷ 173,36 = R144,21
- Overtime rate: R144,21 × 1,5 = R216,31 an hour
- Five hours: R1 081,55
- Two of those hours on a Sunday instead: 3 × R216,31 + 2 × R288,42 = R1 225,77
Who is not covered
The overtime provisions do not apply to employees earning above the earnings threshold set by the Minister (R261 748,45 a year since 1 April 2024 — check the current notice), nor to senior managers, sales staff who travel and regulate their own hours, and employees working fewer than 24 hours a month. Below the threshold, the 1,5× is a statutory right rather than a contractual favour, and a contract term that pays overtime at 1× is unenforceable to that extent.
Time off instead of money
By agreement, overtime may be paid as paid time off rather than cash — and the BCEA requires that time off to be at least 1,5 hours for each overtime hour worked, so the value is preserved. An employer cannot substitute ordinary leave for overtime pay at 1:1.
Keep records, because the burden is on the employer
The employer must keep a record of hours worked and overtime paid for three years. In the CCMA, an employee claiming unpaid overtime shifts the production burden once the claim is raised — an employer without records struggles to prove the hours were paid. If you are the employee, keep your own contemporaneous note of dates and hours; it is worth more than a reconstruction a year later.
Frequently Asked Questions About Overtime Pay
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How the overtime calculator works
Overtime is paid at 1,5 times the ordinary hourly rate. The hourly rate comes from the monthly salary divided by the ordinary hours for the month, not by a fixed 160 hours.
Take a monthly salary of R20 000 and 195 ordinary hours in the month (45 hours a week is the BCEA maximum). The hourly rate is R102,56. Ten hours of overtime is 10 × R102,56 × 1,5 = R1 538,46.
Sunday work is paid at 2× for hourly-paid staff, and work on a public holiday at 2× as well, which is a different rate from ordinary overtime.
What changes the answer in South Africa
The BCEA caps ordinary hours at 45 a week and 9 a day (8 for a five-day week), and overtime at 10 hours a week, by agreement. An employer may not compel overtime and may not require it from employees earning above the threshold. Overtime is voluntary and may be paid in time off instead, by agreement.
Common questions about the overtime calculator
How do I work out my hourly rate from a monthly salary?
Divide the monthly salary by the ordinary hours for that specific month, not by 4,33 weeks. The number of working days changes the answer, which is why a fixed divisor overpays in some months and underpays in others.
Is overtime 1,5 or double?
1,5× on an ordinary day and 2× on a Sunday or public holiday for hourly-paid employees. Salaried staff above the earnings threshold are not covered by the overtime provisions.
Can my employer give me time off instead of paying overtime?
Yes, by written agreement, and the time off must be at least 1,5 hours for every overtime hour worked.