by Ivan Israelstam | Nov 22, 2019 | CCMA, Employees, Labour Relations Act, Unfair Dismissals
Employers frequently suspect that serious misconduct has occurred but are unable to prove which employee or employees are responsible. Some case law has given the impression that, in such circumstances, group dismissals may be justified. This impression has been...
by Ivan Israelstam | Oct 17, 2019 | CCMA, Disciplinary Hearing, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Unfair Dismissals
Employees who report employers for committing illegal or otherwise irregular acts are protected, in the first instance, by the Constitution of South Africa. Specifically, section 16 of the Bill of Rights gives everyone the right to freedom of expression and to impart...
by Ivan Israelstam | Oct 17, 2019 | Contracts, Labour Law for Employers, Retrenchments, Unfair Dismissals
It is very easy to employ a worker on the basis of a fixed-term contract. However, it is when you want to end the employment relationship that the pain begins. The employer’s need to terminate the contract could have a number of different reasons. For example, during...
by Ivan Israelstam | Sep 19, 2019 | CCMA, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Unfair Dismissals
Case law reveals countless reasons given by CCMA arbitrators for an employer’s dismissal decision to be deemed unfair. For example, in the case of Moloi vs Quthing Construction and Developers CK (2007, 8 BALR 720) the accused was given a final warning after he had...
by Ivan Israelstam | Sep 9, 2019 | CCMA, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Unfair Dismissals
At a disciplinary hearing, the chairperson should reject evidence that is legally inadmissible. One type of evidence that may be ruled inadmissible is when it’s hearsay. This occurs, for example, where the person placing the evidence before the presiding officer is...
by Ivan Israelstam | Sep 9, 2019 | CCMA, Disciplinary Hearing, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Unfair Dismissals
The existing and pending new legislation necessitates that management obtain labour law expertise. In the case of NUFAWSA obo Matiti vs Svencraft cc (2007, 3 BALR 220) the employee, a shop steward was dismissed for dishonest use of sick leave. The arbitrator found...