Article 35/2021

Labour Edge

What is the purpose of a probationary period?

In Ubuntu Education Fund v Paulsen NO and Others (2019) 30 SALLR 167 (LAC), the labour appeal court recently stated the following: it is trite that the purpose of a probationary period is not only to assess whether the employee has the technical skills or ability to do the job, but also serves the purpose of ascertaining whether the employee is a suitable employee in a wider sense.  This allows consideration of matters of ‘fit’ – aspects of demeanour, diligence, compatibility and character.  Nevertheless, an employee on probation is still entitled to substantive and procedural fairness.

March 10, 2025

What is an employer to do when it suspects that a medical practitioner is issuing pre- signed sick notes, or permitting its employees to buy sick notes, or, alternatively, is engaging in some other dubious practice regarding the issue of sick notes? What is an employer to do when it suspects that a person is not entitled to practice as a medical doctor?

March 7, 2025

Are you required to interpret any of the following: pre-trial minutes, strike ballot guidelines, the LRA, a separation agreement, a benefits dispute, an arbitration award, the BCEA, a restraint of trade, a traditional disciplinary enquiry charge sheet, the constitution of a trade union, etc?

March 4, 2025

The labour appeal court recently, in Murray and Roberts Cementation (Pty) Ltd v AMCU obo Dube and Others (2024) 35 SALLR 116 (LAC), confirmed important principles relating to the formulation of traditional charge sheets, determining the
fairness of a dismissal, the interpretation of a charge sheet and the reason(s) relied upon by the employer to justify the dismissal of an employee.