by Ivan Israelstam | Aug 3, 2022 | ABSENCE, ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, COVID-19, CROSS-EXAMINATION, Disciplinary Codes, Disciplinary Hearing, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
Ensure that the rights of absent employees are adhered to before dismissing The law considers absenteeism over short periods (a day or two) without leave or without good reason as minor misconduct. However, when even short periods of absence become the norm amongst a...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jul 25, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, COVID-19, CROSS-EXAMINATION, Disciplinary Codes, Disciplinary Hearing, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
South Africa’s Constitution gives all accused persons the right to defend themselves. Cross examination is a key tool used for this purpose. It is used universally in courts and tribunals and gives an accused the opportunity to challenge his/her accusers. However, it...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jul 18, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, COVID-19, Disciplinary Codes, Disciplinary Hearing, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
The Code of Good Practice: Dismissal (the Code) in Schedule 8 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) has been, in effect, provided for in section 188 (2) in Chapter 8 of the LRA. This chapter provides for this Code as part of its purpose of ensuring that employers accede...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jul 11, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, COVID-19, Disciplinary Codes, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
Early in 2022 the Daily Maverick reported on a case where an employee was dismissed for refusing to be vaccinated against Covid. In that case Ms Mulderij applied for exemption from the employer’s vaccination policy on the grounds that the Constitution gave her the...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jul 6, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, COVID-19, Disciplinary Codes, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
South Africa’s labour legislation was largely conceived by our country’s trade unions. As a result, the statutes heavily protect employees and, in particular, protects the jobs of workers. The Labour Relations Act (LRA) and its Schedule 8 fall short of prohibiting the...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jun 27, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, COVID-19, Disciplinary Codes, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
Yes, it is true that our government has lifted its Covid restrictions as a means towards promoting economic activity. While this will assist businesses to improve their sales, employers and employees need to bear some important things in mind: Firstly, the...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jun 13, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, Disciplinary Codes, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
The Labour Relations Act, seven other labour acts and numerous codes of good practice have all been designed to protect employees. And indeed, employees need protection from unscrupulous employers. However, the imbalance is so great that our labour laws leave...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jun 6, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, Disciplinary Codes, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
Our labour dispute resolution system often claims jurisdiction over foreign employers. When a foreign embassy is situated in South Africa it is in fact, according to law, based on foreign soil. A South African working at a South African-based foreign embassy would...
by Ivan Israelstam | May 30, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, Disciplinary Codes, Dismissal, Employees, EMPLOYERS, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
The law makes it essential for employers to act with great care and expertise in gathering evidence and in designing and applying their disciplinary policies. The Labour Courts are most intolerant of employers who do not follow their own disciplinary policies and who...
by Ivan Israelstam | May 24, 2022 | ARBITRATION, CCMA, Corporate, Dismissal, HR POLICIES, Labour Court, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments
There are many different reasons that employers lose at arbitration despite their confidence that they would win. Some of those reasons include: The case of the employer concerned was weak without him/her realizing it The employer’s case was strong but he/she failed...
