Enhanced Leave Entitlements for Working Parents

Enhanced leave entitlements for working parents of various categories are being accommodated in South African law.

The South African Labour Laws Amendment Bill (“the Bill”) was passed by the National Assembly in Parliament on 28 November 2017. The Bill seeks to amend the Basic Conditions of Employment act, 75 of 1997 (“BCEA”) and the Unemployment insurance Act 63 of 2001 (“the UIA”) to provide for minimum periods of leave entitlement to employees who are parents but not the mother of a child. It also is relevant to employees who adopt a child, as well as employees who become parents through a surrogacy arrangement.