Sectoral Determination 8: Farm Worker Sector, South Africa
Part D: Hours of Work
18. Meal Intervals

 

 

1)        An employer must give a farm worker who works continuously for more than five hours, a meal interval of at least one continuous hour.

 

2)        During a meal interval, a farm worker may be required or permitted to perform only duties that cannot be left unattended and cannot be performed by another farm worker.

 

3)        A farm worker must be paid -

a)        for a meal interval in which the farm worker is required to be available for work.

b)        for any portion of a meal interval that is in excess of 75 minutes, unless the farm worker lives on the farm or at the workplace.

 

4)        For the purpose of sub-clause (1), work is continuous unless it is interrupted by a meal interval in accordance with this clause.

 

5)        An agreement in writing may-

a)        Reduce the meal interval to not less than 30 minutes;

b)        Dispense with a meal interval for a farm worker who works fewer than six hours on a day.

 

6)        Whenever an employer is required to give a farm worker a second meal interval because of overtime worked, that interval may be reduced to not less than 15 minutes.