Department of Labour Inspections: How to Be Fully Prepared at All Times

Inspections Happen — Are You Ready?

Department of Labour inspectors conduct residential inspections across South Africa with increasing frequency. These visits are unannounced and the inspector is entitled to request access to verify your compliance with all applicable domestic worker legislation. You cannot prepare on short notice — compliance must already be in place and your documentation must be immediately accessible.

Documentation You Must Be Able to Produce

• Proof of UIF employer registration

• Monthly UIF declaration submissions and payment confirmations for the past 12 months

• COID registration confirmation

• Latest COID Return of Earnings submission and payment confirmation

• Written employment contract signed by both parties

• Payslips issued to your domestic worker for the past 12 months

• Leave records

Most Common Inspection Findings

• No UIF registration at all — the most common finding

• UIF registration but no monthly declarations being submitted

• No COID registration

• No written employment contract

• No payslips being issued

• Payment below the minimum wage

Consequences of Non-Compliance Found During Inspection

If the inspector finds non-compliance they will issue a compliance order specifying what must be rectified and by when, calculate any backdated contributions owing, impose penalties and interest, and follow up to verify compliance. Failure to comply with a compliance order can result in criminal prosecution.

Responding to an Inspector at Your Door

If a Department of Labour inspector arrives at your property and requests access, the appropriate response is to cooperate professionally. Ask for the inspector's identification and official credentials. Invite them to the appropriate area of your property to conduct the verification. Have access to your compliance documentation ready — if your records are on a digital platform such as MyHelper, you can access and present them from a smartphone or tablet immediately. Obstructing or refusing to cooperate with a legitimate inspection creates additional legal complications and does not prevent consequences if non-compliance exists.

What Happens After an Inspection Visit

If the inspector finds no compliance issues, the visit ends with confirmation of compliance and no further action is required. If compliance issues are found, you will receive a written compliance order specifying each area of non-compliance, what must be done to rectify it, and the deadline for doing so. You must address each point in the compliance order within the specified timeframe. A follow-up visit may occur to verify that the rectification has been completed. Failure to comply with the order within the timeframe can result in escalated enforcement action including the possibility of criminal prosecution for persistent non-compliance.

MyHelper Makes You Inspection-Ready Every Day

MyHelper stores proof of every UIF submission and every DoL response on the platform. Your employment contract, payslips and leave records are all securely stored. If an inspector arrives at your door, you can download a complete compliance history with a single click. That is the peace of mind R249 per month provides. Start with a free compliance check at https://myhelpersubmit.co.za/.