Where does South Africa rank on fair holiday pay? A global look at worker protections
Lawmakers are currently reviewing ambiguities in public holiday pay regulations under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), but how does the country stack up against international standards when it comes to compensating workers for time off?
Under South African labour law, workers who agree to work on a public holiday are generally entitled to double their ordinary pay or their normal wage plus what they earn on the day, whichever is greater.
However, recent debates in Parliament have revealed that this section of the law is not as crystal clear as it should be, potentially opening the door to underpayment.
As Parliament seeks to resolve this ambiguity, it's worth asking: How fair is South Africa's public holiday pay compared to other countries?
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