By Fred Joubert
In a recent press release by the Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana, he warned that the enforcement of labour legislation is to become a top Government priority. To further this, the Department of Labour had for the first time appointed a National Chief Inspector who will be responsible for coordinating and professionalising the labour law inspectorate. This was to ensure a drastic increase in inspection visibility.
The Minister went on further to state "We have to demonstrate strong intolerance of each and every employer that refuses to obey the law as we cannot have people turning our country into a banana republic".
Following the statements of the Minister it should therefore be a goal of every company to ensure that they are compliant with the legislation governing the employment relationship. A Department of Labour inspection is time consuming and if a company is not compliant can lead to the imposition of fines and at the very worst, an order to cease operations until such time as the company is complaint.
As business owner you should be asking yourself:
"Will my employment practices pass the scrutiny of a Department of Labour inspection?"
Inter alia the following should be asked:
It must also not be forgotten that most Bargaining Councils have an inspectorate division and should you fall within a Councils jurisdiction, you should be asking yourself if you comply with all the rules and regulations of the relevant Council.
Labournet consultants are willing and able to assist you in ensuring compliance with the legislation applicable to your business by the conducting of a comprehensive labour audit of your employment practices. This is done in the following ways:
- For all new retainer clients this is done as a matter of course once you have signed up. A consultant is allocated to you and conducts the audit entailing a in depth review of your existing practices and policy's;
- For existing clients the monitoring of continuing compliance is an ongoing process. It is therefore recommended that an audit be done once a year to confirm continued compliance with legislation. Contact your allocated consultant or the branch administrator in your area to set up an appointment to confirm your compliance;
If you are in the situation that a Department of Labour inspection is already on the go, contact LabourNet to represent you during the process.
Labour Audits are also an important tool to align your company with best practices in employment relationships and by doing so limiting risks associated with employing personal.
LabourNet has a team of highly skilled and motivated consultants ready and able to assist with all your labour related problems. We do this by being proactive in our service offering to our clients.
Should you require any further information or assistance in this regard contract the LabourNet Helpdesk via email or phone 0861 522 638
Don't be caught unawares, let us make sure you are compliant.
Disclaimer
The information published in this article or newsletter is of general nature and should not be used without obtaining specific advice as to its application in your business or under your specific circumstances. LabourNet will accept no liability if the information is used without first obtaining specific advice from one of our consultants.