Department of Employment and Labour Edition EEA1 (no edition date printed; Department's file of September 2021) 2 pages

EEA1 — Declaration by Employee (Employment Equity Act)

The confidential one-page form a South African employee completes so the employer can analyse its workforce under the Employment Equity Act.

Fill out EEA1 employment equity declaration online View the form Free on every FileIt plan
EEA1 employment equity declaration · Declaration by Employee (EEA1, Employment Equity Act)
The official Department of Employment and Labour form, edition EEA1 (no edition date printed; Department's file of September 2021) — blank
Page 1 of 2
EEA1 employment equity declaration (2021) Declaration by Employee (EEA1, Employment Equity Act) — page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2
EEA1 employment equity declaration (2021) Declaration by Employee (EEA1, Employment Equity Act) — page 2 of 2
Page 2 of 2
Fill this form online Blank PDF from Department of Employment and Labour

What is EEA1 employment equity declaration?

The EEA1 is the Department of Employment and Labour's Declaration by Employee under the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998. The form says employers use it to get information from employees so they can analyse their workforce profile and find out which employees are from designated groups.

Designated groups, as the form explains, are black people (African, Coloured and Indian), women and people with disabilities who are South African citizens by birth or descent, or who became citizens by naturalisation before 27 April 1994, or after 26 April 1994 if they would have been entitled to it earlier but were precluded by Apartheid policies. That is why the form asks for the date you acquired citizenship if you are not a citizen by birth.

FileIt fills the EEA1 for you: your name, workplace number, an X in the right category boxes, the citizenship date, and the nature of any disability you choose to disclose. The finished form is saved in your FileIt vault and can be sent for e-signature. You then give it to your employer yourself.

Who fills it
The employee
Given to
Your employer, who must keep it confidential
Law
Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, as amended
Length
One page
Signature
The employee signs and dates it
Edition
EEA1 as published by the Department (no edition date printed)

Who needs to fill out EEA1 employment equity declaration?

  • A new employee whose employer asks for an employment equity declaration.
  • An existing employee asked to complete the form again, for example when the employer updates its workforce profile.
  • A foreign national working in South Africa, who ticks Foreign nationals.
  • An employee with a disability who chooses to disclose it.

When to use EEA1 employment equity declaration

  • When you start a new job and your employer gives you the EEA1 with your other new-hire forms.
  • Whenever your employer asks you to confirm your details for employment equity purposes.
  • If your details change, for example after you acquire South African citizenship.

What you need before you start

  • Your full name.
  • Your employee or workplace number, if your employer gave you one.
  • Your gender and race category, or whether you are a foreign national.
  • The date you acquired South African citizenship, if you are not a citizen by birth.
  • The nature of any disability, if you choose to disclose it.

What’s on EEA1 employment equity declaration

The 2021 edition has 2 pages. FileIt asks for it in 1 part, and it is signed by Employee:

  1. Declaration by employeeEmployee

How to fill out EEA1 employment equity declaration, step by step

1 1 and 2. Name and workplace number

Write your name, then the employee workplace number, which the form describes as the number your employer uses to identify you in the workplace.

2 3. Categories

Mark an X for Male or Female, and for African, Coloured, Indian or White. Tick Foreign nationals if you are not a South African citizen. If you are a citizen but not by birth, give the date you acquired citizenship.

3 Disability

Tick Person with a disability if it applies and, if you wish, say what the disability is. The form defines people with disabilities as people with a long-term or recurring physical or mental impairment that substantially limits their prospects of entry into, or advancement in, employment. It also notes that you have the right not to disclose a disability, unless it is in line with the inherent requirements of the job.

4 4. Verify and sign

Confirm that the information is true and correct, sign as the employee and date the form.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Leaving the category boxes blank: the form asks you to mark them with an X.
  • Giving a citizenship date when you are a citizen by birth. It is only for citizens by naturalisation.
  • Forgetting to sign and date question 4.

After you fill it out

Print the EEA1 from your FileIt vault, or send it for e-signature, and give it to your employer.

The form says employers must keep its contents confidential and use it only to comply with the Employment Equity Act.

Keep a copy in your vault in case you need to update it later.

Fill out EEA1 employment equity declaration online with FileIt

  1. Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
  2. Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 10 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
  3. Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Department of Employment and Labour form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
  4. Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start EEA1 employment equity declaration now — it’s free

EEA1 employment equity declaration: frequently asked questions

Do I have to disclose a disability on the EEA1?

The form notes that people with disabilities have the right not to disclose their disability, unless it is in line with the inherent requirements of the job.

Who sees my EEA1?

It is confidential. The form says employers must keep its contents confidential and use it only to comply with the Employment Equity Act.

Why does the form ask when I acquired citizenship?

Under the definition on the form, whether someone belongs to a designated group depends on citizenship by birth or descent, or naturalisation before 27 April 1994 (or later where they were precluded earlier by Apartheid policies).

I'm a foreign national. What do I tick?

Tick Foreign nationals, and your gender. FileIt then doesn't require a race category and leaves out the citizenship date.

Can I fill in the EEA1 online with FileIt?

Yes. FileIt prints your answers on the official EEA1 PDF, saves it in your vault and can send it for e-signature. You give it to your employer yourself.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Department of Employment and Labour or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-25.

Fill out EEA1 employment equity declaration online