A potion for December
A potion for December
by Abrie Bronkhorst
Year-end function
- the level of professionalism expected at the function;
- that each employee is responsible for keeping his alcohol intake within legal and reasonable limits;
- that any misconduct by an employee before, during or after the year-end function will lead to disciplinary action against the employee.
Annual leave
Employers should take the following into account when dealing with annual leave:
- In terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, an employee is entitled to 1 day of paid leave for every 17 days worked. This works out to 1.25 days of paid leave per month, or 15 working days of paid leave per year (if an employee works 5 days per week).
- The leave cycle is a 12-month period calculated from the date of employment and is renewed annually.
- Annual leave accumulates and can be carried over to the next leave cycle, but must be taken within six months of the new cycle.
- Annual leave is paid leave and the employee receives full payment during the leave period. The normal payment date can be modified by a payment agreement for this period.
- Public holidays do not form part of annual leave and are additional. Please note that 27 December 2022 has been declared a public holiday by the president and must therefore be treated accordingly in terms of compensation and time off.
- Leave may not be exchanged for compensation. Leave may only be paid out on termination of employment.
Bonusses
There are different types of bonuses for which an employee may qualify in the workplace:
- A thirteenth cheque
- Performance bonus
- Production bonus
The production bonus is awarded at the employer’s discretion following a division or group’s production measured against production goals as set by management. It is important that the employer establishes and communicates clear targets or objectives to employees. When an employee alleges he/she is entitled to a bonus, the onus rests on the employer to prove the contrary. It is important that an employer continuously evaluates the employee’s work performance, and keep record of these assessments.
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