by Ivan Israelstam | Jun 28, 2019 | CCMA, Corporate, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act
Can the employer discipline an employee twice for the same incident of misconduct? Under exceptional circumstances, a second disciplinary process might be justified if the employer is able to present evidence that: is new and has therefore not been presented at the...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jun 21, 2019 | CCMA, Contracts, Employees, Job Grading, Labour Relations Act
South African employers often lose at CCMA and bargaining councils in cases relating to fixed-term contracts. A key reason for this is that employers do not understand the legal purpose of fixed-term contracts and the circumstances under which they are safe to...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jun 13, 2019 | #UnfairTreatment, CCMA, Employees, Labour Law, Labour Relations Act, Unfair Dismissals
The lodging of complaints by staff cannot be used as grounds for alleging incompatibility or dismissing employees. In the case of Jabari vs Telkom SA (Pty) Ltd (2006, 10 BLLR 924) the Labour Court, in explaining the nature of workplace incompatibility, highlighted...
by Ivan Israelstam | Jun 7, 2019 | Employees, Labour Law, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Labour Unions South Africa
It is inherent in the nature of employment relationships that, as the employer is paying the employee for his services, he/she is obliged to be loyal to the employer and to devote his/her efforts to the interests of the employer. The employee should, therefore, carry...
by Ivan Israelstam | May 23, 2019 | #UnfairTreatment, Employees, Labour Law, Labour Relations Act, Unfair Dismissals
It seems obvious to employers that, if an employee is arrested by the police he has ‘dismissed himself’. However, this mistaken belief is born from wishful thinking. Reasons for such wishful thinking may include: The employer fears having a criminal at the workplace...
by Ivan Israelstam | May 9, 2019 | Employees, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act
The most important reason for employing people is the need for their skills. The question is whether the money expended in order to acquire and retain these employee skills should be seen as an expense or as an investment. Most frequently employers consider the money...
by Ivan Israelstam | May 2, 2019 | Labour Law, Labour Relations Act
Cross examination is used universally in courts and tribunals and gives an accused the opportunity to challenge his/her accusers. However, it is contentious as to whether an accused employee at a disciplinary hearing has the right to cross examine evidence brought...
by Ivan Israelstam | Apr 26, 2019 | Uncategorised
Labour law, born from South Africa’s Constitution, is there primarily to protect employees. Central to this purpose is the principle that the jobs of employees must be protected. Labour law very reluctantly allows employers to terminate the employment of workers but...
by Ivan Israelstam | Apr 10, 2019 | #UnfairTreatment, CCMA, Corporate, Employees, Labour Law for Employers, Labour Relations Act, Labour Unions South Africa
South African labour legislation has been written to protect employees to the detriment of employers. This is despite the fact that section 9(1) of the Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution of South Africa provides that “Everyone is equal before the law and has...
by Ivan Israelstam | Apr 10, 2019 | CCMA, Labour Law, Labour Relations Act, Retrenchments, Unfair Dismissals
South African labour law strongly protects people employed in South Africa. Furthermore, our courts do not easily give up jurisdiction to foreign courts. When a foreign embassy is situated in South Africa it is in fact, according to law, based on foreign soil. A South...
