As the year progresses into its midpoint, many workplaces experience a natural dip in energy and motivation. Public holidays have passed, winter is setting in, and economic pressures, particularly rising household costs, are beginning to weigh more heavily on employees. For employers, this often coincides with limited financial flexibility, making it difficult to implement salary [...]
Recent Labour Appeal Court case law has revived the long-standing debate on when a disciplinary hearing legally “commences” - a question with serious consequences for the validity of suspensions. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Workplace communication is often informal, fast, and reactive. However, what may seem like a passing comment or instruction can carry serious legal consequences. In many instances, everyday language used by employers or managers can be interpreted as terminating the employment relationship, even where no formal dismissal was intended. Legal Framework Section 188(1) of the Labour [...]
Start with the soft keys. Not the flashy kind - the patient, rolling kind that sounds like a Sunday afternoon in Pretoria when the city is warm and the streets are unhurried. Then add a steady pulse underneath. Something grounded, something that doesn’t panic when the melody changes. That’s how an Amapiano track begins - [...]
Resignations “with immediate effect” often leave employers uncertain about whether the employment relationship has lawfully ended and what rights remain regarding notice and remuneration. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
One of the most common mistakes employers make in disciplinary matters is assuming that the existence of a rule is enough. It is not. A policy may be well drafted and reasonable, but if employees were never properly made aware of it, enforcement becomes significantly more difficult. The Core Principle In any disciplinary enquiry or [...]
Employers are sometimes confronted with misconduct that goes beyond workplace discipline and enters the realm of criminal law. Knowing when reporting is mandatory and how to handle resignations in such circumstances lawfully is critical to avoiding serious legal risk. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Employers are often required to apply discipline consistently. This principle, commonly referred to as the parity principle, is an important element of fairness. However, consistency is not absolute. There are circumstances in which deviation from past disciplinary outcomes is justified, particularly when misconduct is serious or distinguishable. The Facts In Buthelezi and Others v Rand [...]
Disputes over whether an employee resigned or was dismissed are common at the CCMA. Poorly handled exits, especially during heated workplace incidents, can quickly expose employers to unfair dismissal claims, even where termination was justified. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
In the workplace, we speak fluently about skills such as technical competence, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and leadership. Yet beneath all of these sits a trait so fundamental that it is often overlooked precisely because it cannot be easily measured. That trait is mental fortitude. Mental fortitude is not loud confidence or bravado, but rather the [...]