Quick answer
The most useful documents are the ones that prove the employment terms, the final work and pay period, the termination date, the annual-leave balance, the rate used, any deduction and the payment actually received. Prioritise a small chain of primary records before adding background correspondence. A complete but disorganised download is less useful than an indexed pack that shows what each document proves.
How to use this guide
This article ranks records by proof value. It is not a general evidence strategy or a CCMA filing checklist. The aim is to help you decide which files belong at the front of the bundle and what fallback record can replace a missing item.
Priority 1: The terms of employment
Put the signed contract, offer letter or written particulars first. Mark the employer’s legal name, start date, ordinary remuneration, pay frequency, working hours, leave terms, notice provisions and any commission or bonus wording. Add signed amendments and only those policies or collective-agreement clauses that are actually relevant.
If there is no signed document, use the best available combination of appointment messages, payslips, tax records, rosters and instructions. A missing contract does not justify guessing the terms.
Priority 2: The termination record
Include the document that identifies why and when employment ended: resignation notice, dismissal outcome, retrenchment letter, mutual-separation agreement, expiry notice or retirement confirmation. Add proof of the last day worked and any notice period served, waived or paid.
Dates matter because the final pay period, annual-leave accrual and possible dismissal deadline are anchored to the termination facts. If the employer communicated different dates, place both records together and flag the conflict.
Priority 3: The final remuneration statement
The final payslip or exit calculation should show gross items, deductions and net pay. Compare it with at least two earlier payslips to identify the normal rate and components. If the final document is missing, include the request for it and build a provisional comparison from prior payslips, hours and bank deposits.
The BCEA requires written remuneration information when an employee is paid. A payslip is strong evidence, but it can still contain an incorrect leave balance or deduction. Treat it as a source to reconcile, not an unquestionable conclusion.
Priority 4: Annual-leave records
Use an official leave statement or portal export showing the date captured. Add approved leave requests, cancellations, shutdown records and the leave policy only where they explain the balance. Distinguish annual leave from sick leave, family-responsibility leave, parental leave and discretionary leave.
Section 40 of the BCEA addresses specified annual-leave payments on termination. It does not mean every number labelled “leave” is payable. The document pack should identify the leave cycle, accrual, days taken and basis for the closing balance.
Priority 5: Proof of work in the final period
Keep time sheets, schedules, access logs, job cards, delivery records or supervisor confirmations covering the final unpaid days. For hourly or shift workers, mark ordinary hours, overtime, Sunday work, public holidays and absences separately. For commission, attach the applicable plan and the completed transaction records tied to the disputed period.
Avoid dumping years of operational data into the file. Select the records that support the units in the calculation and preserve the broader archive in case it is later required.
Priority 6: Bank and payment proof
Provide the bank entry for the expected final payment and enough surrounding context to identify the account and date. If a partial payment arrived, match it to the payslip or remittance. Redact unrelated transactions from the working copy, but retain the original securely.
For cash payment, use receipts, signed payroll records, contemporaneous messages and the ordinary cash-pay pattern. A statement that “nothing was paid” should be supported by the record best suited to the payment method.
Priority 7: Deduction authority
If money was withheld for notice, damage, stock, equipment, training, a loan or overpayment, collect the written consent, agreement, court order, arbitration award, policy and calculation the employer relies on. Section 34 of the BCEA restricts deductions and identifies conditions for certain loss-or-damage deductions.
Do not assume that every deduction is unlawful, and do not assume a contractual clause permits any amount the employer chooses. The wording, facts, process and arithmetic must be tested.
Priority 8: The payment request and response
Keep one clear written request identifying the disputed items, relevant dates and documents requested. Add the employer’s complete reply, including attachments. Long emotional message chains should go behind the primary records unless a specific admission, promise or explanation is important.
If payroll promised payment on a date, preserve the promise and the bank record after that date. Repeated promises help the chronology but do not replace a formal referral where one is required.
A practical document index
Number each item and create a cover sheet with:
- file number and short name;
- document date and author;
- whether it is an original, export, copy or screenshot;
- the fact it proves;
- the disputed claim item it supports;
- any inconsistency or missing page;
- whether confidential material has been redacted in the consultation copy.
Use filenames such as 03-final-payslip-2026-07.pdf, not scan004-final-final.pdf. Preserve original metadata and do not convert every file into a screenshot.
FAQs
How many payslips should I provide?
Start with the final payslip and a representative comparison period showing the normal rate and components. Add more only where a change, recurring deduction or variable-pay pattern must be explained.
Does a leave balance on a payslip prove the cash amount owed?
It is important evidence, but the applicable leave cycle, days taken, policy, rate and statutory calculation still need to be reconciled.
Should I include disciplinary-hearing papers?
Include them if dismissal fairness, an alleged loss or a deduction is relevant. Keep them in a separate section so they do not obscure the final-pay documents.
Are WhatsApp screenshots acceptable?
They can support a promise or instruction, but export the full conversation where lawful and keep the device or original file. Cropped images can omit context and metadata.
Related Lexuno paths
Related articles
Source notes
Legal note
This article is general legal information for South African readers. It is not legal advice. Speak to a qualified legal professional about your specific facts before taking action.