Basic thoughts regarding compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) include: To comply with legislation is not negotiable and non-compliance can be costly in the general running of a business. In accordance with legislation as well as ISO 45001,...

South Africa’s Public Health Policy promotes and encourages mothers to breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months of the child’s life. The Basic Conditions of Employment Act and its Code of Good Practice, provides that an employer should allow a...

When the employment relationship is terminated and the employee believes that he/she has been unfairly dismissed, the employee can approach the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). The case will first be placed for conciliation and if the...

Secret recordings of 'sensitive' discussions in the workplace - an interesting bargaining council case!Employers face many challenges in the workplace. One that puts the employer in a vulnerable position, is when an employee wants to submit secret recordings of...

When an employee decides to resign, the employee voluntarily terminates the employment contract and relationship. The employee’s decision to resign is a unilateral act and there is no obligation on the employer to formally accept the resignation for it to be...

Awards and penalties – South Africa’s labour environment is highly regulated, which makes it very important (and challenging) for employers to comply with labour legislation on an ongoing basis. Non-compliance poses a serious business risk to any employer with a...

Regulate the employment relationship – The employment relationship is a relationship of trust based on mutual benefits and respect. As a business owner, the employer should always anticipate what can go wrong with regards to the employment relationship, in order to be...

Labour legislation sets strict requirements that employers must comply with. Compliance is non-negotiable and poses a business risk to the employer. A thorough labour audit aligns the work environment with applicable labour legislation, but in order to maintain this...

Employees represent a valuable asset within any workplace. It is therefore critical to find the right person, not only with the right qualifications and experience, but who will also be compatible with the working environment and culture.Implementing a probation...

Commission earning employees are no different from any other employee except for the fact that their remuneration is commission based. Employment conditions are regulated in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and any applicable Bargaining Council...

Moonlighting is defined in the workplace as working a second job without informing your main employer, and employees earn extra money outside of working hours. A possible concern is that moonlighting may cause a decrease in productivity in the workplace. Data from...

Suspending an employee is a common occurrence in the workplace. Employers must however take care to follow the correct procedures when imposing both precautionary and punitive suspension to avoid putting their business at unnecessary risk.What is precautionary...