IGNORE THE LABOUR LAWS AT YOUR PERIL

IGNORE THE LABOUR LAWS AT YOUR PERIL

A franchisee of a well known Grocery chain has been ordered to pay millions of rands to workers for unlawful deductions on earnings, as well as non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW), amongst other things.

The CCMA granted the department the arbitration awards, which compel the franchisee to comply with compliance orders issued and pay all complainants an amount of R11.9-million.

Issues raised in terms of labour laws violations included:

    • Failure by the employer to issue employees with contracts;
    • Long working hours without overtime compensation;
    • Sunday pay, public holidays and leave not granted according to the law;
    • The complaints also related to the hiring of illegal foreign nationals,
    • and Illegal deductions.

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has launched a new hotline that will allow workers to report cases of non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW), at no cost to them.

The launch of the NMW Impimpa hotline, with the backing of one of the country’s leading cellular providers, will provide a messaging interaction mechanism for end users (workers) to allow them to report cases of non-compliance with the NMW.

The launch of the hotline also coincides with the latest review of the National Minimum Wage rates, which were published on 17 February 2020.

The new NMW has increased from R20 per hour to R20.76 per hour. The rate came into effect on 1 March 2020.

Employers should engage the services of a Labour Law expert to ensure that they are complaint with the myriad of labour laws in our country