DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS: FORMAL VS INFORMAL

DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS: FORMAL VS INFORMAL

The drafters of the Labour Relations Act of 1995 (LRA) expressly provided in the statute for the right of an accused to be heard. That is, section 188 of the LRA states that a dismissal is unfair if the employer fails to prove that it was effected in accordance with a...
THE COMPULSORY COVID VACCINATION CONTROVERSY

THE COMPULSORY COVID VACCINATION CONTROVERSY

Earlier this year I wrote an article warning of the dangers of enforcing compulsory Covid vaccinations at the workplace. Despite this, a trend towards compulsory vaccination has begun. This is because Covid is still spreading, far too many people are still resisting...
BEWARE OF DISMISSALS BASED ON SPITE

BEWARE OF DISMISSALS BASED ON SPITE

Feelings of spite arise at work for a variety of reasons such as:  Resentment due to the lodging of grievances  Power struggles between managers  Racial and other prejudices  Scapegoating  Managers feeling threatened by other managers or senior staff  Sexual affairs ...
DISMISSALS ARE UNFAIR IF EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP IS STILL TOLERABLE

DISMISSALS ARE UNFAIR IF EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP IS STILL TOLERABLE

Schedule 8 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) says that dismissal is only appropriate for those serious offences that make “a continued employment relationship intolerable”. Such serious offences could include, for example, gross insubordination, endangering the safety...
RETRENCHMENTS AND MUTUAL TERMINATIONS ARE FUELING JOB LOSSES

RETRENCHMENTS AND MUTUAL TERMINATIONS ARE FUELING JOB LOSSES

South Africa’s unemployment rate is at an all time high with 43% of working age people being unemployed. This is the harsh reality, despite government’s so called ‘growth’ plans. While retrenchments have risen to alarming levels over the past four years, mutually...