Every business is different. Our fees are based on the value we deliver and the work required — not inflated overheads or one-size-fits-all packages.
A simple policy review costs less than a full retrenchment process with union negotiations.
Quick compliance checks differ from multi-month Employment Equity plan development.
Some projects need one consultant; others require legal partners or multi-disciplinary support.
Standard timelines vs. emergency interventions, such as a CCMA case starting tomorrow.
10 employees vs. 500 employees changes scope significantly.
01
Pay for specific projects as you need them — no ongoing commitment. Ideal for once-off needs like labour audits, retrenchment support, or policy development. Billed at R1,500/hour (excl. VAT).
02
Purchase a block of consulting hours upfront at discounted rates. Hours are tied to a validity window (3, 6, or 12 months) so you plan ahead and draw down support as needs arise — advisory, hearing attendance, policy work, and more.
03
From R7,500/month. Choose remote advisory support or a dedicated practitioner on-site every week, under a 12-month SLA. Predictable fees and proactive HR management.
Prepaid hour packages give you consulting capacity at a discounted rate, linked to a fixed timeframe. Choose the bundle that fits your planning horizon and draw down hours for any OptiHR service within the validity period.
Ad hoc rate
R1,500/hrNo commitment required
Prepaid rate
From R1,300/hrSave up to 13% vs ad hoc
Retainer add-on rate
R1,200/hrRetainer clients only
OPTI-START
R1,400/hr · R14,000 total
Ad hoc projects or trying OptiHR before committing to a retainer.
Example uses
Employment contract review and redraft
1 disciplinary hearing (prep + attendance)
HR compliance health check
Staff handbook or policy review
OPTI-FLEX
R1,350/hr · R27,000 total
Businesses with intermittent needs — use support when you need it, pause when you don't.
Example uses
Policy development project (3–4 bespoke policies)
2 disciplinary hearings across 6 months
Performance management framework setup
HR advisory across 6 months (~2–3 hrs/month)
OPTI-BUILD
R1,300/hr · R52,000 total
Organisations that want regular support without a fixed retainer — flexible hours across a full year.
Example uses
Ongoing HR advisory (~3 hrs/month for a year)
Full policy framework audit and overhaul
3–4 disciplinary hearings or CCMA appearances
Employment Equity plan development
How timeframes work
Hours are valid from the date of purchase. You plan when to use them — for example, 3 hours in month one for a policy review, 5 hours in month two for a disciplinary hearing. Hours not used within the validity window expire. We recommend agreeing a rough schedule upfront to get full value from your package.
All packages are subject to a 12-month SLA. Monthly retainer is payable in advance on the 1st of each month. All amounts exclude VAT (15%).
OPTI-REMOTE
excl. VAT · 12-month SLA
Support model
Remote only
Monthly capacity
No on-site visits
Hearings / CCMA
1 per annum
Best for: Small businesses (under 20 staff) needing professional HR advisory, document support, and legal-grade guidance — without on-site visits.
Unlimited telephonic and email advisory support
Video consultations by appointment
Employment contract drafting and review
HR document templates and letters
Basic policy review and updating
Disciplinary advisory — telephonic guidance while you chair
CCMA preparation support (remote)
Monthly HR compliance check-in
1 disciplinary hearing or CCMA appearance per annum (prep, full-day attendance, drafting)
OPTI-ESSENTIALS
excl. VAT · 12-month SLA
Support model
2 hours/week
Monthly capacity
~8 hours/month
Hearings / CCMA
2 per annum
Best for: Businesses (20–50 staff) needing consistent, scheduled HR support with a practitioner on-site each week.
Weekly on-site visit (2 hrs) at agreed day
HR advisory and staff engagement support
Performance management support (PIPs, reviews, goal-setting)
Custom policy development for your organisation
Review and updating of existing policies
Proactive HR policy gap identification
Access to OptiHR standard document templates
Monthly HR summary report
Email and telephonic support between visits
2 disciplinary hearings or CCMA appearances per annum (prep, full-day attendance, drafting)
OPTI-ADVANTAGE
excl. VAT · 12-month SLA
Support model
3 hours/week
Monthly capacity
~13 hours/month
Hearings / CCMA
2 per annum
Best for: Growing organisations (50–100 staff) needing more hands-on weekly support, deeper policy work, and stronger compliance management.
Everything in Essentials, plus:
Weekly on-site visit (3 hrs) at agreed day
Increased capacity for HR projects and document work
More complex policy development and implementation
Enhanced manager coaching and HR advisory
2 disciplinary hearings or CCMA appearances per annum (prep, full-day attendance, drafting)
OPTI-PREMIER
excl. VAT · 12-month SLA
Support model
4 hours/week
Monthly capacity
~18 hours/month
Hearings / CCMA
2 per annum
Best for: Larger organisations (100–200 staff) needing significant weekly HR capacity, equity reporting, and proactive compliance management.
Everything in Advantage, plus:
Weekly on-site visit (4 hrs) at agreed day
Priority scheduling and same-week turnaround on urgent matters
Expanded policy development and HR project work
Employment equity and skills development advisory
Structured performance management frameworks and manager coaching
Formal incapacity proceedings linked to poor performance
Comprehensive HR policy audit and gap analysis with prioritised remediation plan
2 disciplinary hearings or CCMA appearances per annum (prep, full-day attendance, drafting)
OPTI-PLATINUM
excl. VAT · 12-month SLA
Support model
5 hours/week
Monthly capacity
~24 hours/month
Hearings / CCMA
3 per annum
Best for: High-demand organisations (200+ staff), multi-site operations, or businesses requiring dedicated practitioner access and full-scope HR project management.
Everything in Premier, plus:
Weekly on-site visit (5 hrs) at agreed day
Dedicated HR practitioner with priority access and escalation support
Full-scope HR project management for complex or high-volume matters
3 disciplinary hearings or CCMA appearances per annum (prep, full-day attendance, drafting)
Preferential rates with RFH Inc. for Labour Court and employment litigation
Retainer add-on
Retainer clients can purchase additional on-site hours at R1,200/hour (excl. VAT) — compared to the standard ad hoc rate of R1,500/hour. Capped at 8 extra hours per month by default, with written agreement required in advance. Useful for retrenchments, policy overhauls, or peak periods without needing to move to a higher package tier.
Private companies in South Africa are not legally required to appoint a company secretary — but the governance obligations are real. Missed CIPC filings, missing board resolutions, and poorly maintained statutory registers create legal, financial, and commercial risk. OptiHR's company secretarial retainer handles it all, with legal-grade precision.
OPTI-SECRETARIAL
12-month SLA · payable monthly in advance
Best for
Private companies wanting professional governance without a full-time appointment — from owner-managed businesses to investor-backed companies that need audit-ready records and zero missed CIPC deadlines.
Annual return preparation and submission to CIPC — deadlines managed on your behalf
Director appointments, resignations, and changes filed with CIPC
Share allotment, transfer, and buyback registrations
MOI amendments, special resolutions, and business name changes
Beneficial ownership disclosures and CIPC compliance monitoring
Maintenance of statutory registers — directors, shareholders, and beneficial owners
Share certificates and transfer documentation
Board meeting support — notices, agendas, minutes, and resolutions
AGM and shareholder meeting support — proxies and voting included
Document drafting and review — MOIs, shareholder agreements, director service agreements
Corporate governance advisory — fiduciary duties and Companies Act compliance
Annual returns must be filed within 30 business days of your company's anniversary. Late filings attract escalating penalties and can ultimately trigger deregistration — meaning you cannot legally trade, open bank accounts, or enter contracts.
Significant company decisions require properly drafted, signed board resolutions. WhatsApp messages and verbal agreements have no legal standing. Proper resolutions protect directors personally.
Statutory registers and governance records get scrutinised when you raise investment, apply for finance, or sell the business. Missing or incorrect records delay deals, reduce valuations, and sometimes kill transactions outright.
OptiHR's founder is an admitted attorney with direct knowledge of the Companies Act and governance requirements. This is legal-grade governance support at a fraction of the cost of a full-time appointment.
Company secretarial services can be taken as a standalone retainer or combined with an OptiHR HR retainer. Clients holding both services receive integrated governance and HR compliance support with a single point of accountability.
POPIA compliance is not a once-off tick-box exercise — it requires implementation, staff training, and ongoing monitoring. OptiHR offers a structured two-phase approach: a once-off implementation to get you compliant, followed by an optional retainer to keep you that way.
Phase 1 — Once-off Implementation
A complete POPIA implementation covering audit, Information Officer appointment, policies, consent procedures, breach protocols, and staff training — sized to your organisation.
Micro
Up to 10 staff
excl. VAT · once-off
POPIA compliance audit
Information Officer formal appointment and registration on the Information Regulator's eServices portal
POPIA compliance manual — written documentation for employees and the designated Information Officer
Core privacy policy and employee data processing notice
Website review and amendments — privacy policy page, cookie notice, and online data collection forms updated for compliance
Consent procedures and data processing register
Data breach response protocol
Staff training — instructional videos and scored knowledge tests (up to 10 users)
Training pass certificates maintained as documented compliance evidence
Small Business
10–50 staff
excl. VAT · once-off
Everything in Micro, plus:
Extended audit covering HR, IT, marketing, and supplier data flows
Supplier and vendor data processing agreements
Staff training — instructional videos and scored knowledge tests (up to 50 users)
Data subject access request (DSAR) procedure and templates
PAIA manual (section 51 manual) drafted and published
Medium Business
50–200 staff
excl. VAT · once-off
Everything in Small Business, plus:
Full data mapping and information asset register
Departmental-level policy rollout and sign-off tracking
Staff training — instructional videos and scored knowledge tests (up to 200 users)
CCTV and monitoring policy where applicable
Biometric data or health data handling policies (if applicable)
Custom DSAR and breach notification workflow
Organisations with 200+ staff, multiple entities, or complex data environments are quoted individually. Businesses in healthcare, financial services, or education (handling sensitive or learner data) may require additional scope — contact us for a tailored assessment.
Phase 2 — Ongoing Retainer
POPIA is not a set-and-forget exercise. As your data landscape changes, staff turn over, and the Information Regulator issues new guidance, your compliance needs ongoing attention. Our POPIA retainer keeps you ahead of the obligation.
POPIA Essential
Up to 20 staff
excl. VAT · 12-month SLA
Ongoing compliance monitoring and policy updates
Data subject access request (DSAR) handling
Breach notification support if an incident occurs
Annual policy review and update
Access to updated training videos as legislation changes
Regulatory updates and guidance as POPIA evolves
POPIA Business
20–100 staff
excl. VAT · 12-month SLA
Everything in Essential, plus:
Quarterly compliance health checks
Vendor and supplier DPA reviews (up to 4/year)
New employee onboarding — POPIA training access
Priority support for urgent breaches or regulator correspondence
POPIA Enterprise
100+ staff
excl. VAT · 12-month SLA
Everything in Business, plus:
Monthly compliance reporting to management
Unlimited vendor DPA reviews
Full-scope DSAR management and correspondence
Information Regulator liaison if required
Annual full compliance re-audit
Training Add-On
Up to 20 users · R150/user thereafter
If you already have your POPIA framework in place and simply need to train and assess your staff, this standalone training pack gives all employees access to structured instructional videos and scored knowledge tests — with pass certificates stored as evidence of your compliance programme. Suitable for annual compliance refreshers or onboarding new staff into an existing POPIA framework.
All active OptiHR retainer clients receive preferential professional fees at RFH Inc. (Raymond Francois Hauptfleisch Attorneys Inc.), Raymond's specialist labour law firm. When an HR matter escalates beyond advisory scope, you already have a direct connection to legal representation — no separate onboarding, no referral fees.
Representation in the Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court at preferential rates.
Legal representation for complex arbitration matters that require an attorney of record.
Defence against unfair dismissal and automatically unfair dismissal claims.
Representation in equality court and CCMA unfair discrimination matters.
Section 189 retrenchment disputes and related procedural and substantive challenges.
Section 197 transfer of business proceedings and employment continuity disputes.
Rates are confirmed directly with RFH Inc. upon request. Available exclusively to clients holding an active OptiHR retainer. OptiHR facilitates the introduction at no charge.
Fixed monthly fees, no surprise invoices.
We prevent problems before they become CCMA cases.
We learn your business, culture, and people over time.
Retainer clients get first access during busy periods.
An in-house HR manager costs R25,000–R45,000/month in salary alone — before benefits, office space, or legal expertise. Our retainers start at R7,500.
Retainer clients receive discounted legal fees with RFH Inc. for Labour Court and employment litigation matters.
To maintain transparency, here's what typically requires additional fees even in retainer packages.
External legal representation — Labour Court litigation coordinated through our attorney network (attorney fees separate; preferential rates available to retainer clients via RFH Inc.)
Travel beyond 50 km radius of Johannesburg — travel costs billable at cost for out-of-area visits
Hearings / CCMA appearances beyond the included annual allocation — quoted separately; half-day appearances billed at 50% of full-day rate
Extensive forensic investigations — fraud, theft, or complex misconduct requiring forensic accountants
Psychometric testing — third-party assessments for recruitment or development
Background checks — criminal, credit, and qualification verification services
Everything you need to know before choosing your engagement model.
Stop guessing what HR support costs. Book a free consultation and get a customised proposal showing exactly what you'll pay and what you'll get — no surprises, no hidden fees.
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