Home › Ending Employment › Termination Letter Templates for Domestic Workers
Termination Letter Templates for Domestic Workers
Notice of termination to a domestic worker must be given in writing — a clear termination letter protects both of you and is the first document the CCMA will ask for if the dismissal is ever disputed. Below are three original, print-ready templates: dismissal for misconduct after a disciplinary discussion, termination for incapacity, and a mutual separation agreement, plus the paperwork that must travel with the letter.
Last reviewed June 2026 · wage figures from 1 March 2026
TEMPLATE A — TERMINATION FOR MISCONDUCT (AFTER A DISCIPLINARY DISCUSSION)
NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT — MISCONDUCT
Employer: [EMPLOYER FULL NAME], [HOME ADDRESS]
Employee: [WORKER FULL NAME], ID no [ID NUMBER], employed as [POSITION] since [START DATE]
Date: [DATE]
Dear [WORKER FIRST NAME],
1. A disciplinary discussion was held on [DATE OF DISCUSSION] regarding the allegation that you [PLAIN FACTUAL DESCRIPTION OF MISCONDUCT]. You were given written notice of the discussion on [DATE OF NOTICE] and a full opportunity to respond.
2. Having considered the facts and your response[, as well as the written warning(s) issued to you on [DATE(S)]], I have found that the misconduct occurred and that it has made the continuation of the employment relationship intolerable. Your employment is therefore terminated for misconduct.
3. Notice: As you have been employed for [six months or less / more than six months], you are entitled to [ONE WEEK'S / FOUR WEEKS'] notice. [You are not required to work the notice period and will instead be paid in lieu of notice. / Your notice period runs from [DATE] to [LAST WORKING DAY].] Your last day of employment is [DATE].
4. Final payment: On or before [FINAL PAY DATE] you will be paid: (a) wages up to and including your last day worked: R[AMOUNT]; (b) payment in lieu of notice (if applicable): R[AMOUNT]; (c) payment for [NUMBER] days of accrued, untaken annual leave: R[AMOUNT]. Total: R[TOTAL].
5. Documents: Your certificate of service and your completed UI-19 form are attached / will be given to you on or before your last day, so that you may approach the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
6. You must return [HOUSE KEYS / GATE REMOTE / UNIFORM / OTHER PROPERTY] on or before your last day.
7. If you believe this dismissal is unfair, you have the right to refer a dispute to the CCMA within 30 days.
Employer signature: ______________________ Date: [DATE]
Employee signature (acknowledging receipt only): ______________________ Date: [DATE]
(If the employee declines to sign: contents explained in a language the employee understands; employee declined to sign. Witness: [WITNESS NAME] ______________________)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TEMPLATE B — TERMINATION FOR INCAPACITY (POOR PERFORMANCE OR ILL HEALTH)
NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT — INCAPACITY
Employer: [EMPLOYER FULL NAME], [HOME ADDRESS]
Employee: [WORKER FULL NAME], ID no [ID NUMBER], employed as [POSITION] since [START DATE]
Date: [DATE]
Dear [WORKER FIRST NAME],
1. Background: [FOR POOR PERFORMANCE: "On [DATES] we discussed concerns about [SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE WORK]. You were given guidance and a period of [X WEEKS/MONTHS] to improve, and we reviewed progress on [DATES]." / FOR ILL HEALTH: "You have been unable to perform your duties since [DATE] due to [NATURE OF INCAPACITY]. On [DATES] we discussed your condition, the prospects of recovery, and whether your duties or hours could be adjusted to accommodate you."]
2. Despite the steps above, [the required standard has not been met / no reasonable adjustment makes it possible for the work to continue], and I have concluded that the employment cannot continue. Your employment is therefore terminated for incapacity. This decision reflects no misconduct on your part.
3. Notice: As you have been employed for [six months or less / more than six months], you are entitled to [ONE WEEK'S / FOUR WEEKS'] notice. [Notice will be worked, ending on [DATE]. / You will be paid in lieu of notice.] Your last day of employment is [DATE].
4. Final payment: On or before [FINAL PAY DATE] you will be paid: (a) wages up to and including your last day: R[AMOUNT]; (b) payment in lieu of notice (if applicable): R[AMOUNT]; (c) payment for [NUMBER] days of accrued, untaken annual leave: R[AMOUNT]. Total: R[TOTAL].
5. Documents: Your certificate of service and completed UI-19 form are attached / will be given to you on or before your last day for purposes of any UIF claim.
6. If you believe this termination is unfair, you have the right to refer a dispute to the CCMA within 30 days.
I thank you for your service of [X YEARS/MONTHS] and wish you well.
Employer signature: ______________________ Date: [DATE]
Employee signature (acknowledging receipt only): ______________________ Date: [DATE]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TEMPLATE C — MUTUAL SEPARATION AGREEMENT
MUTUAL SEPARATION AGREEMENT
Entered into between:
Employer: [EMPLOYER FULL NAME], ID no [ID NUMBER], of [HOME ADDRESS]
Employee: [WORKER FULL NAME], ID no [ID NUMBER], employed as [POSITION] since [START DATE]
1. The parties agree, freely and voluntarily, to terminate the employment relationship by mutual consent with effect from [LAST DAY OF EMPLOYMENT]. Neither party has been pressured or threatened into signing this agreement.
2. The employee [will work until the termination date / is released from duty from [DATE] on full pay until the termination date].
3. Separation payment: The employer will pay the employee, on or before [PAYMENT DATE]: (a) wages up to and including the termination date: R[AMOUNT]; (b) payment for [NUMBER] days of accrued, untaken annual leave: R[AMOUNT]; (c) an agreed separation amount of R[AMOUNT]; Total: R[TOTAL], paid into [BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS / in cash against a signed receipt].
4. Documents: The employer will give the employee a certificate of service and a completed UI-19 form on or before the termination date.
5. The employee will return all property of the employer ([KEYS / REMOTE / UNIFORM / OTHER]) on or before the termination date.
6. Full and final settlement: This agreement is in full and final settlement of all claims arising from the employment and its termination, except for any claim the employee may have against the Unemployment Insurance Fund or the Compensation Fund, which are not affected.
7. The employee confirms that this agreement was explained in a language the employee understands, that the employee had the chance to ask questions and to seek advice before signing, and that the employee signs it voluntarily.
8. This is the whole agreement; any change must be in writing and signed by both parties.
Signed at [PLACE] on [DATE]
Employer: ______________________
Employee: ______________________
Witness 1: ______________________
Witness 2: ______________________
Before you write the letter
A termination letter records a decision — it cannot fix an unfair one. Make sure you have a fair reason (misconduct, incapacity or operational requirements) and that you followed a fair process first: a disciplinary discussion for misconduct, documented guidance and a chance to improve for poor performance, or genuine consultation for retrenchment. Our guide to dismissing a domestic worker covers the process step by step, and the warning letter templates cover the discipline that should usually come first.
Date the letter on the day you hand it over, keep a signed copy, and explain its contents in a language the worker understands.
What the letter must get right
Three things commonly go wrong. First, notice: domestic workers are entitled to one week's written notice if employed six months or less, and four weeks if employed more than six months — the letter must state whether notice will be worked or paid out in lieu. Second, final pay: the letter should itemise wages to the last day (at no less than the national minimum wage of R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026), notice pay if paid in lieu, the payout of all accrued untaken annual leave — which the BCEA requires to be settled on termination — and severance of one week per completed year of service if the reason is retrenchment. Third, the reason: state it plainly and accurately; a vague or false reason is ammunition at the CCMA.
Two documents must accompany the letter
A certificate of service is not optional. Section 42 of the BCEA entitles every employee to one on termination, whatever the reason — it records who employed her, in what job, and from when to when. It is a neutral factual document, not a reference, so you must issue it even after a misconduct dismissal.
The UI-19 form declares the termination to the Unemployment Insurance Fund and should be issued on or before the worker's last day. It confirms her employment dates, final remuneration and contribution history, and she cannot process a UIF claim without it — withholding it delays her benefits and is a compliance breach. If she worked more than 24 hours a month for you, you should have been registered and paying the 2% contribution (1% deducted from her wage, 1% from you) all along; if you were not, regularise with the Fund rather than skipping the UI-19.
Choosing the right template
Use Template A after a disciplinary discussion has found serious or repeated misconduct proven — it records the process that was followed, which is your procedural-fairness evidence. Use Template B for incapacity, whether persistent poor performance after documented support or ill health that prevents the work continuing. Use Template C when you and the worker agree to part ways on negotiated terms: a mutual separation is a contract, not a dismissal, so both parties must sign it freely — never present it as an ultimatum.
For retrenchment (you are emigrating, downscaling or can no longer afford the position), follow the consultation process and severance rules in the dismissal guide before adapting Template B's structure: state the operational reason, the consultation dates, and add a severance line of one week's pay per completed year of service to the final-pay breakdown.
After the letter is handed over
Pay everything itemised in the letter on or before the final pay date you stated. Hand over the certificate of service and UI-19, and keep signed copies of all three documents for at least a few years — an unfair dismissal referral can arrive at the CCMA within 30 days of the dismissal, and if it does, your letter, meeting notes and warnings are the difference between a quick conciliation and an award of up to 12 months' remuneration. If conciliation papers do arrive, attend: failing to show up is the most expensive mistake of all.
Frequently asked questions
Does a termination letter have to be in writing?
Yes — notice of termination must be given in writing under the BCEA. A dated, signed letter that states the reason, the notice arrangement and the final-pay breakdown protects you if the dismissal is later disputed, so keep a signed copy.
Must I give a certificate of service even if I dismissed her for misconduct?
Yes. Section 42 of the BCEA entitles every employee to a certificate of service on termination, regardless of the reason. It is a neutral record of who employed her, in what position and for what period — it is not a reference and says nothing about why she left.
What is the UI-19 and when must I provide it?
The UI-19 is the declaration to the Unemployment Insurance Fund that the employment has ended, confirming employment dates, final remuneration and contribution history. Issue it on or before the worker's last day — she cannot claim UIF benefits without it, and withholding it is a compliance breach.
Can I just pay her for the notice period instead of having her work it?
Yes, payment in lieu of notice is permitted — pay what she would have earned had she worked the notice (one week if employed six months or less, four weeks if longer). After a misconduct dismissal, paying in lieu is often the more practical choice for everyone.
Is a mutual separation agreement safer than dismissing?
It can be, because a genuine mutual separation is an agreement rather than a dismissal — but only if it really is voluntary. Presenting it as 'sign this or be fired' invites a CCMA challenge. Give the worker time to read it, explain it in a language she understands, and let her seek advice before signing.
What goes into the final payment?
Wages up to the last day (at no less than R30.23 per hour, the minimum wage from 1 March 2026), notice pay if paid in lieu, a payout of all accrued untaken annual leave, and — only if the reason is retrenchment — severance of one week's pay per completed year of service. Itemise each amount in the letter.