A domestic worker is entitled to up to four consecutive months of maternity leave. You are not required to pay her salary during that time, but because she pays UIF she can claim a UIF maternity benefit for it. Her job is protected while she is away, and she may not be made to work for six weeks after the birth unless a doctor confirms she is fit. AskMandla records the leave and prepares her UIF paperwork.
How much leave
Up to four consecutive months. She chooses when it starts, usually any time from four weeks before the due date.
Paid or unpaid
You are not legally required to pay her normal salary during maternity leave. Because she has been paying UIF, she can claim a UIF maternity benefit for the period instead. Some employers choose to top this up, but that is a choice, not a duty.
Job protection and the six-week rule
Her job is protected: she comes back to the same job afterwards. She may not work for the first six weeks after the birth unless a doctor certifies that she is fit to.
How AskMandla helps
We record the maternity leave, keep her job and contract in place, and prepare the UIF paperwork she needs to claim the maternity benefit.