The upcoming Election Day on Wednesday, 29 May 2024, has been declared a public holiday throughout the Republic of South Africa.
Employers are reminded that it should be treated the same as any other public holiday.
For most employees (i.e., those who work a regular week), Election Day would otherwise have been an ordinary working day. This means the employer must pay:
(a) an employee who does not work on the public holiday, at least the wage that the employee would ordinarily have received for work on that day;
(b) an employee who does work on the public holiday –
(i) at least double the amount referred to in paragraph (a); or
(ii) if it is greater, the amount referred to in paragraph (a) plus the amount earned by the employee for the time worked on that day.
Employees for whom Election Day would not be an ordinary working day (for example some shift workers where the day falls on what would have been an “off day” anyway), would not be entitled to be paid for that day.
Election Day must also be treated as any other public holiday in all other respects.
