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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.

October 19, 2026

Section 41(2) of the BCEA regulates the entitlement of an employee, dismissed for reasons based on the employer’s operational requirements, to severance pay.

In terms of s41(4) of the BCEA, an employee, who unreasonably refused to accept the employer’s offer of alternative employment with that employer or any other employer, is not entitled to severance pay ito s41(2).

How does the assistance provided by the retrenching employer to a retrenched employee affect such employee’s entitlement to severance pay?

October 12, 2026

What is the short test to be applied to determine whether there is compliance with the reasonable decision-maker test?

When determining whether or not the arbitrator of the CCMA or bargaining council behaved like a reasonable decision-maker, what are the ‘questions to be asked’?

What is the test recently applied to determine whether an arbitration award should be set aside on review?

October 5, 2026

In the scenario where a group of employees, participating in a demonstration, picket, strike, etc, are participating in unlawful conduct, but a number of other employees, who are also participating in such demonstration, picket, strike, etc, are not participating in such unlawful conduct, will the employer be entitled to obtain an interdict against both groups of such employees?