What Is the Return of Earnings?
The Return of Earnings (ROE) is an annual submission that every employer registered with the Compensation Fund — including domestic employers — must make to the Compensation Commissioner. It declares your domestic worker's total earnings for the assessment year so the Fund can calculate your annual contribution (assessment fee). Think of it as your annual report to the Compensation Fund.
The 2026 ROE Deadline
The 2026 Return of Earnings submission window opened on 1 April 2026 and the deadline was 31 May 2026. If you missed this deadline, the Compensation Fund automatically adds a 10% penalty to your assessment amount and your Letter of Good Standing lapses immediately. If you have not yet submitted your 2026 ROE, this should be treated as urgent — late is always better than never.
What the Assessment Fee Covers
The annual assessment fee is what domestic employers pay for COID coverage for their employees. The minimum domestic employer assessment for 2025/2026 is R560. A domestic worker injured on the job can generate claims running into tens of thousands of rands — all covered by the Compensation Fund when you are registered and your ROE is submitted on time.
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline
Missing the ROE deadline means your Letter of Good Standing lapses immediately. Without this letter you cannot confirm compliance to the Department of Labour during an inspection, and it is the document the Fund uses to prove you are entitled to coverage when a claim is filed. A late submission with the 10% penalty is far better than continued non-submission.
MyHelper Handles ROE Submissions for Payroll Clients
MyHelper's R249 per month payroll plan includes annual COID Return of Earnings submission on behalf of our payroll clients. You do not need to track the deadline, find the portal or calculate the assessment — we handle it as part of your subscription. Start with a free compliance check at myhelpersubmit.co.za. Our once-off R399 registration service gets you registered and compliant.
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