Dereliction of duty is treated as serious misconduct in South African labour law. Recent judgments confirm that employers must prove intentional neglect of duties, but do not always need to prove a breakdown of trust where the misconduct is inherently serious. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Managing labour costs in a Bargaining Council environment requires employers to look beyond the basic wage. Labour costs are made up of multiple components, including annual wage increases prescribed by main collective agreements, overtime and public holiday premiums, statutory contributions, bargaining council levies, allowances (such as night shift, risk, or uniform allowances), and the administrative [...]
Recent CCMA and Labour Court decisions have clarified that a positive breathalyser result alone is not enough to justify dismissal. Employers must prove actual impairment, not merely the presence of alcohol. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Few moments are more unsettling for an employer than discovering a CCMA or Bargaining Council award issued in their absence. The instinctive reaction is often panic, followed by a hurried question: Can this be rescinded? While Section 144 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) provides the legal gateway for rescission, the reality is that rescission [...]
The misuse of sick leave and fraudulent medical certificates remains a persistent concern for employers. Recent Labour Appeal Court guidance clarifies how employers should approach suspected fraud without infringing on employees’ rights. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Annual leave remains one of the most frequently misunderstood areas of South African employment law. While most employers are aware that employees are entitled to paid annual leave, disputes often arise around how leave accrues, how shutdown periods are handled, and whether leave pay is always owed when employment ends. The Basic Conditions of Employment [...]
Every organisation has a unique culture shaped not only by written policies, but also by unwritten rules and practices. These informal norms influence how employees behave, communicate, and integrate into the workplace, often playing a critical role in building cohesion and efficiency. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
In today’s connected world, employee conduct outside working hours can quickly impact the workplace. While employees have a right to privacy, employers may act where off-duty misconduct has a direct and material effect on the employment relationship or the business. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
When employees and employers are unsure about their rights and obligations, they don’t turn to a lawyer or an HR manual; they turn to Google. Search trends from 2025 show a consistent theme: confusion. Confusion about leave, pay, dismissals, probation, retrenchments, and fairness. These aren’t abstract legal questions. They are real issues affecting livelihoods, businesses, [...]
The Constitutional Court may have rewritten South Africa’s parental leave framework in 2025, but the real constitutional moment did not happen in court. It happened quietly, in HR offices, management meetings, WhatsApp family groups, and at kitchen tables across the country. On paper, the Van Wyk judgment is a triumph of equality. In practice, it [...]