Created by DailyNotes
LABOUR LAW
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Labour law introduced six fairness mechanisms to protect workers: .................................................... 4
Individual and Collective Labour Law ................................................................................................... 4
Sources of South African law ............................................................................................................... 4
1 Statutory law (legislation) ............................................................................................................ 4
2) International law........................................................................................................................ 5
3) Foreign law .............................................................................................................................. 5
4) Common law ........................................................................................................................... 5
5) Case law ................................................................................................................................ 5
C) Collective agreements.............................................................................................................. 6
7) The contract of employment ............................................................................................................. 6
Chapter 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 6
Who is an Employee? .......................................................................................................................... 6
How courts decide if someone is an employee: ................................................................................... 6
LRA was updated to protect three types of employees: ....................................................................... 6
1) Fixed-term employees ................................................................................................................ 6
2) Part-time employees .................................................................................................................. 7
3) Temporary employment services (labour brokers) ....................................................................... 7
General requirements for a valid contract of employment .................................................................... 7
Duties of employees:............................................................................................................................ 8
1) Duty to tender service ................................................................................................................ 8
2) The employee must perform competently.................................................................................... 8
3) To further the employer’s interests (duty of good faith) ................................................................... 8
4) The employee must be respectful and obedient .......................................................................... 8
5) The employee must refrain from misconduct ................................................................................ 8
Duties of employers: ............................................................................................................................ 8
1) To Provide Work ........................................................................................................................ 8
2) To Pay Employees ..................................................................................................................... 8
3) To Provide Safe Working Conditions ........................................................................................... 8
Changing of the contract ...................................................................................................................... 9
Duration of the contract ........................................................................................................................ 9
Termination of the contract ................................................................................................................... 9
1) Completion of the contract ......................................................................................................... 9
2) Termination on notice................................................................................................................. 9
3) Cancellation ............................................................................................................................ 9
4) Agreement .............................................................................................................................. 9
5) Death ...................................................................................................................................... 9
C) Insolvency ............................................................................................................................... 9
7) Impossibility of performance ............................................................................................................. 9
Relevant / suitable remedies .............................................................................................................. 10
1) Employee Remedies: ............................................................................................................ 10
2) Employer Remedies:.............................................................................................................. 10
,Created by DailyNotes
The employers vicarious liability......................................................................................................... 10
Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................................................... 10
Purpose of BCEA ............................................................................................................................... 10
Application of the BCEA ..................................................................................................................... 10
Regulation of work time ...................................................................................................................... 11
1) Ordinary hours of work............................................................................................................. 11
2) Overtime ............................................................................................................................... 11
3) Compressed working week .................................................................................................... 11
4) Averaging of hours of work ....................................................................................................... 11
5) Meal intervals ........................................................................................................................ 11
C) Daily and weekly rest period ..................................................................................................... 11
7) Pay for work on Sundays.......................................................................................................... 11
8) Night work .............................................................................................................................. 11
S) Public holidays ...................................................................................................................... 12
Leave ................................................................................................................................................. 12
1 Annual leave .......................................................................................................................... 12
2 Sick leave ............................................................................................................................. 12
3) Maternity Leave ...................................................................................................................... 12
4) Protection During Pregnancy ................................................................................................... 12
5) Family Responsibility Leave .................................................................................................... 12
C) New Forms of Parental Leave ................................................................................................. 12
Particulars of employment and remuneration..................................................................................... 13
1) Deductions and other acts concerning remuneration .............................................................. 13
2) Calculation of remuneration and wages .................................................................................... 13
Termination of employment ................................................................................................................ 13
1) Notice of Termination: ............................................................................................................. 13
2) Payment instead of Notice: ...................................................................................................... 13
3) Payment on Termination: ....................................................................................................... 13
4) Severance Pay: ..................................................................................................................... 13
5) Certificate of Service: ............................................................................................................... 13
Variation of basic conditions of employment by agreement................................................................ 14
Sectoral determinations ..................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 4: Dismissals ............................................................................................................................ 14
When checking if a dismissal was fair, the process is: ....................................................................... 14
The meaning of dismissal .................................................................................................................. 14
Automatically unfair dismissals .......................................................................................................... 14
1) Dismissal in respect of a strike ................................................................................................ 14
2) Dismissal to compel an employee to accept the employer’s demand ........................................ 14
3) Victimisation.......................................................................................................................... 14
4) Pregnancy ............................................................................................................................ 15
5) Dismissal based on discrimination ........................................................................................ 15
C) Transfer of a business .............................................................................................................. 15
7) Protected disclosures .................................................................................................................... 15
Dismissal for misconduct ................................................................................................................... 15
4.2 Dismissal based on incapacity ..................................................................................................... 16
Types of incapabilities: ....................................................................................................................... 16
, Created by DailyNotes
4.3 Dismissal based on the employer’s operational requirements...................................................... 17
Remedies for unfair dismissal ............................................................................................................ 17
Chapter 5 ............................................................................................................................................... 17
Key types of unfair labour practices are: ............................................................................................ 17
1) Unfair Conduct by the Employer............................................................................................... 17
2) Suspension and Disciplinary Action ....................................................................................... 17
3) Failure to Reinstate or Re-employ ............................................................................................. 18
4) Protected Disclosures (Whistleblowing) .................................................................................. 18
Remedies ........................................................................................................................................... 18
Chapter 6 ............................................................................................................................................... 18
The Employment Equity Act (EEA) aims to: ....................................................................................... 18
Unfair discrimination ........................................................................................................................... 18
1) Sexual harassment ................................................................................................................ 18
2) Equal Pay .............................................................................................................................. 19
3) Medical Tests ........................................................................................................................ 19
Direct and Indirect Discrimination ....................................................................................................... 19
Justification for discrimination ............................................................................................................ 19
Affirmative Action ............................................................................................................................... 19
1) Equitable Representation ....................................................................................................... 19
2) Designated employees .......................................................................................................... 19
Suitably Qualified Employees ............................................................................................................ 19
Designated employers ....................................................................................................................... 20
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION MEASURES ................................................................................................ 20
Monitoring .......................................................................................................................................... 20
Do Employees Have a Right to Affirmative Action? ........................................................................... 20
The ‘Barnard Principle’ ....................................................................................................................... 20
LABOUR LAW
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Labour law introduced six fairness mechanisms to protect workers: .................................................... 4
Individual and Collective Labour Law ................................................................................................... 4
Sources of South African law ............................................................................................................... 4
1 Statutory law (legislation) ............................................................................................................ 4
2) International law........................................................................................................................ 5
3) Foreign law .............................................................................................................................. 5
4) Common law ........................................................................................................................... 5
5) Case law ................................................................................................................................ 5
C) Collective agreements.............................................................................................................. 6
7) The contract of employment ............................................................................................................. 6
Chapter 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 6
Who is an Employee? .......................................................................................................................... 6
How courts decide if someone is an employee: ................................................................................... 6
LRA was updated to protect three types of employees: ....................................................................... 6
1) Fixed-term employees ................................................................................................................ 6
2) Part-time employees .................................................................................................................. 7
3) Temporary employment services (labour brokers) ....................................................................... 7
General requirements for a valid contract of employment .................................................................... 7
Duties of employees:............................................................................................................................ 8
1) Duty to tender service ................................................................................................................ 8
2) The employee must perform competently.................................................................................... 8
3) To further the employer’s interests (duty of good faith) ................................................................... 8
4) The employee must be respectful and obedient .......................................................................... 8
5) The employee must refrain from misconduct ................................................................................ 8
Duties of employers: ............................................................................................................................ 8
1) To Provide Work ........................................................................................................................ 8
2) To Pay Employees ..................................................................................................................... 8
3) To Provide Safe Working Conditions ........................................................................................... 8
Changing of the contract ...................................................................................................................... 9
Duration of the contract ........................................................................................................................ 9
Termination of the contract ................................................................................................................... 9
1) Completion of the contract ......................................................................................................... 9
2) Termination on notice................................................................................................................. 9
3) Cancellation ............................................................................................................................ 9
4) Agreement .............................................................................................................................. 9
5) Death ...................................................................................................................................... 9
C) Insolvency ............................................................................................................................... 9
7) Impossibility of performance ............................................................................................................. 9
Relevant / suitable remedies .............................................................................................................. 10
1) Employee Remedies: ............................................................................................................ 10
2) Employer Remedies:.............................................................................................................. 10
,Created by DailyNotes
The employers vicarious liability......................................................................................................... 10
Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................................................... 10
Purpose of BCEA ............................................................................................................................... 10
Application of the BCEA ..................................................................................................................... 10
Regulation of work time ...................................................................................................................... 11
1) Ordinary hours of work............................................................................................................. 11
2) Overtime ............................................................................................................................... 11
3) Compressed working week .................................................................................................... 11
4) Averaging of hours of work ....................................................................................................... 11
5) Meal intervals ........................................................................................................................ 11
C) Daily and weekly rest period ..................................................................................................... 11
7) Pay for work on Sundays.......................................................................................................... 11
8) Night work .............................................................................................................................. 11
S) Public holidays ...................................................................................................................... 12
Leave ................................................................................................................................................. 12
1 Annual leave .......................................................................................................................... 12
2 Sick leave ............................................................................................................................. 12
3) Maternity Leave ...................................................................................................................... 12
4) Protection During Pregnancy ................................................................................................... 12
5) Family Responsibility Leave .................................................................................................... 12
C) New Forms of Parental Leave ................................................................................................. 12
Particulars of employment and remuneration..................................................................................... 13
1) Deductions and other acts concerning remuneration .............................................................. 13
2) Calculation of remuneration and wages .................................................................................... 13
Termination of employment ................................................................................................................ 13
1) Notice of Termination: ............................................................................................................. 13
2) Payment instead of Notice: ...................................................................................................... 13
3) Payment on Termination: ....................................................................................................... 13
4) Severance Pay: ..................................................................................................................... 13
5) Certificate of Service: ............................................................................................................... 13
Variation of basic conditions of employment by agreement................................................................ 14
Sectoral determinations ..................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 4: Dismissals ............................................................................................................................ 14
When checking if a dismissal was fair, the process is: ....................................................................... 14
The meaning of dismissal .................................................................................................................. 14
Automatically unfair dismissals .......................................................................................................... 14
1) Dismissal in respect of a strike ................................................................................................ 14
2) Dismissal to compel an employee to accept the employer’s demand ........................................ 14
3) Victimisation.......................................................................................................................... 14
4) Pregnancy ............................................................................................................................ 15
5) Dismissal based on discrimination ........................................................................................ 15
C) Transfer of a business .............................................................................................................. 15
7) Protected disclosures .................................................................................................................... 15
Dismissal for misconduct ................................................................................................................... 15
4.2 Dismissal based on incapacity ..................................................................................................... 16
Types of incapabilities: ....................................................................................................................... 16
, Created by DailyNotes
4.3 Dismissal based on the employer’s operational requirements...................................................... 17
Remedies for unfair dismissal ............................................................................................................ 17
Chapter 5 ............................................................................................................................................... 17
Key types of unfair labour practices are: ............................................................................................ 17
1) Unfair Conduct by the Employer............................................................................................... 17
2) Suspension and Disciplinary Action ....................................................................................... 17
3) Failure to Reinstate or Re-employ ............................................................................................. 18
4) Protected Disclosures (Whistleblowing) .................................................................................. 18
Remedies ........................................................................................................................................... 18
Chapter 6 ............................................................................................................................................... 18
The Employment Equity Act (EEA) aims to: ....................................................................................... 18
Unfair discrimination ........................................................................................................................... 18
1) Sexual harassment ................................................................................................................ 18
2) Equal Pay .............................................................................................................................. 19
3) Medical Tests ........................................................................................................................ 19
Direct and Indirect Discrimination ....................................................................................................... 19
Justification for discrimination ............................................................................................................ 19
Affirmative Action ............................................................................................................................... 19
1) Equitable Representation ....................................................................................................... 19
2) Designated employees .......................................................................................................... 19
Suitably Qualified Employees ............................................................................................................ 19
Designated employers ....................................................................................................................... 20
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION MEASURES ................................................................................................ 20
Monitoring .......................................................................................................................................... 20
Do Employees Have a Right to Affirmative Action? ........................................................................... 20
The ‘Barnard Principle’ ....................................................................................................................... 20
