Article 10/2024

What are the options available to an employee when an employer allegedly owes such employee monies in terms of a contract of employment?

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Scenario 1:  earning above the threshold

  • The current threshold in terms of s6(3) of the BCEA is R241 110.59 per annum.
  • If an employee wishes to resolve a dispute and earns above the said threshold, the employee has the following options available to him/her:
    • labour court
    • high court
    • magistrate’s court
    • small claims court – kindly take note that the small claims court has not geared itself to deal with these types of disputes

Scenario 2: earning below the threshold

  • In this regard, the threshold path is compulsory con-arb.

What are the principles governing the vicarious liability of an employer for acts committed by an employee in breach of the EEA, in terms of s60 of the EEA?

The scenario is as follows: only employees working at a bakery and not employees working at a mill were party to the disputes when referred to conciliation.  At arbitration, the union wanted to join the employees working at the mill.

Is such joinder permissible?

What is the test for unfair discrimination formulated in Harksen v Lane and consistently applied subsequently by the various courts, including, recently, Premier FMCG (Pty) Ltd t/a Blue Ribbon Bakery v FAWU (2022) 33 SALLR 277 (LC); (2022) 43 ILJ 1584 (LC)?