Can a domestic worker opt out of UIF to keep a SASSA grant?

What the report says

Households replacing foreign workers who had left say South African candidates ask not to be registered for UIF so their grant continues. The article says registration is compulsory whatever the worker asks. It also says earning the minimum wage disqualifies a worker from SASSA grants. Each grant has its own rules, and SASSA decides each case on the person's income.

Why you cannot leave her off UIF

• The law puts the duty on you, the employer. UIF applies to every employee who works 24 hours or more a month for that employer. There is no opt-out for the worker.
• Unpaid UIF builds up. If you leave her off and register later, you owe every missed month with a once-off 10% penalty, and for earlier tax years you pay the full 2% yourself.
• It leaves her without cover. UIF is what pays her if she loses the job, goes on maternity leave or falls ill. A month that was never declared never counts towards her claim.

Talking to her about it

Most workers who ask this are worried about losing money they rely on. It helps to explain that UIF gives her something back: income if the job ends, maternity pay, and a record of employment she can use for a bank account or a loan. Whether a grant continues is a SASSA decision about her income, and she should check her own position with SASSA.

Questions people ask

Does registering my domestic worker for UIF stop her SASSA grant?

Registering for UIF does not itself stop a grant. SASSA looks at her income, and each grant has its own rules, so she should check her own position with SASSA.

Can a domestic worker refuse to be registered for UIF?

No. From 24 hours a month with one employer, UIF is compulsory, and the duty to register and pay is the employer's.

Sources

• BusinessTech, "New problem for households now employing South African domestic workers", 9 August 2026
• Unemployment Insurance Act 63 of 2001, section 3 (who is covered)