For most South Africans, their domestic worker is part of the family. As such and as a responsible employer, you should consider providing additional benefits similar to those that an employee in any other working environment would enjoy – for example, health care and a retirement benefit.

Here are some of the available options:

Domesticsure by First for Women

This product includes cover for death, disablity and hospitalisation. If your employee passes away, his or her death will be covered for up to R25 000 if it’s a natural death, and up to R50 000 if the death was due to an accident. The product includes a repatriation service that provides cover of up to R3 000. So, if the death and burial of your domestic worker happens within the borders of South Africa, the transportation of their remains to their chosen funeral home or cemetery will be covered.

If your domestic worker is seriously injured and needs hospitalisation, it will be covered for R200 per day for a maximum of 104 weeks. The Hello Doctor benefit gives your domestic worker access to a qualified doctor for advice and guidance, whenever and wherever they might be.  Another benefit of Domesticsure is Pocket Payroll, which enables you to create payslips for your domestic worker through retrieving payslip information via your smart device or computer; it’s fully SARS and BCEA compliant and also assists you by generating SARS documents, like IRP5 and EMP201 forms.

Cost: From R66 a month.

The Domestic Worker’s Plan Package by Old Mutual

This offers retirement and funeral benefits.

Cost: The amount invested can be between R85 and R200 per month; a distribution fee of R7 is deducted from each contribution and a total fee of 1.65% per year (calculated and deducted monthly) is charged for the management of the investment.

Absa Home Employees Provident Fund

This is a flexible fund and can include the following cover: retirement, disability, death and funeral benefits.

Cost: Contributions range from R120 a month with no risk benefits, to R1 312 for R200 000 death and capital disability cover as well as a funeral benefit of R10 000.

Domesticare

This plan offers access to the national network of CareCross doctors. Benefits include unlimited doctor visits, acute medication, radiology, pathology and a maternity benefit. You can upgrade to Domesticare Plus, which also offers dentistry and optometry benefits.

Cost: R210 to R235 a month.

This article first appeared in City Press. For more articles by Neesa Moodley-Isaacs go to Money Issues