We have experienced a marked increase in clients seeking legal advice on how lawfully and fairly to deal with employees in the workplace who may be suffering from a mental health illness or experiencing difficulties, which are in turn negatively impacting on their behaviour and/or performance. While mental health-related issues in the workplace are not …
Employee Mental Health Issues: How To Fairly Address Them Read More »
Social media is an inevitable part of our personal and professional lives, with people using various platforms to communicate and share information. There is no denying the power of social media and the impact it has on business. However, in a time where technology is part of our day-to-day lives, the frequency and immediacy with …
Chapter C of the Budget Speech delivered by the Minister of Finance on the 24th of February 2021, under the heading “Curbing abuse in the ETI”, confirmed that certain taxpayers had devised schemes using training institutions to claim the employment tax incentive (“ETI”) for students. He then brought an end to this abuse. The ETI …
Improving access to the law has been Caveat’s mission from day one. That old saying, “The doors of court are open to everyone, just like the Ritz”, has irked me since my early days in traditional practice. It’s true, there is law and a justice system for those with means, and almost nothing for those …
Caveat Launches Social Impact Initiative: The Warrior Project Read More »
Having been asked to write a piece on the history of Caveat, I’m struck by the thought that we’ve come far enough to even have a history. Caveat turns 8 this year. Time really has flown – probably because we really have been having fun. I never knew a job could be so much fun, …
The National Minimum Wage Act (“the NMWA”) came into effect on 1 January 2019. The purpose of the NMWA is to: improve the wages of the lowest paid workers; protect workers from unreasonably low wages; preserve the value of the national minimum wage; promote collective bargaining; and support economic policy. The NMWA defines “workers” as …
The National Minimum Wage: Understanding and Applying it Read More »
Historically the legal profession was characterised by many of the same traits as the world of craftsmen or artists. Lawyers perceived their work much as artists do: a creative exercise that takes as long as it takes, costs what it costs and is not available for criticism by the client. The client – a person …
Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act provides that, where an employer contemplates dismissing one or more employees for reasons relating to its operational requirements, it is obliged to consult with those employees (and / or their representatives) who are likely to be affected by the proposed dismissals. It is an unfortunate reality of both …
Law is about justice and fairness. It really is, I keep telling myself. For me, justice and fairness were the driving force behind years of work, collecting degrees and professional qualifications. They have to be what law – and legal practice – are about. I love the law, the definitiveness of it, and the evolving …
The Inherent Conflict of Interest in Traditional Legal Practice Read More »
Section 6 of the Employment Equity Act prohibits unfair discrimination by any person against an employee and specifically includes harassment as a form of unfair discrimination. Section 60 provides that an employer may be held liable for damages if it cannot prove that it did all that was reasonably practicable to ensure that the unfair …
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Clarity on Employers’ Obligations Read More »
