Recent amendments to legislation afford Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) commissioners the authority to handle sexual harassment cases. Sexual harassment in the workplace can best be explained as a situation involving unwanted sexual...

Obesity and illnesses related to obesity in South Africa are regarded by many medical practitioners as a pandemic. In medical terms a person with a body mass index over 30 is regarded as morbidly obese. In a recent judgement by the European courts, judges decided that...

Employees sleeping on duty is a problem for any employer. Being tired can affect an employee’s concentration, co-ordination and reaction speed as well as negatively influence the business’s productivity. By sleeping on duty the employee puts him-/herself, colleagues...

Employers should be aware of maternity leave and what their employees are entitled to when they are pregnant and what obligations employees have towards the employer.What is an employee entitled to with regards to maternity leave?An employee is entitled to four...

All employers have two goals: to make a profit and be sustainable. Employers should therefore regularly evaluate all factors that can have an influence on the long term success of the business in order to create a cost effective environment enabling the business to...

The goal of a disciplinary hearing is to ensure that all parties are given the opportunity to state their case, that the correct procedure is followed to determine if the employee is guilty of the accused misconduct and if so, the appropriate sanction is reached....

The relationship between the employer and the employee is based on mutual benefits and respect. Clear rules and guidelines ensure that friction and misunderstandings are kept to a minimum, which in turn promotes not only productivity but also a positive working...

The general rule is that an employee’s actions outside the working environment and after hours is not the employer’s concern and may the employer not institute disciplinary action against an employee for acts of misconduct committed after hours. The exceptions to the...

What is the CCMA?The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) was established as an independent, apolitical dispute resolution body in terms of the Labour Relations Act (LRA), Act 66 of 1995 and is aimed at promoting fair practises and resolving...

The employer’s property forms an integral part of the business infrastructure and any loss, damage, misuse and waste thereof is a serious misconduct that places additional pressure, as unnecessary expenses, on a business in terms of profitability and sustainability....