As everyone is aware there are many “ irons in the fire “ with regard to our Labour Legislation.  It is important to understand where we are with the legislation and it is outlined as follows:

1.    Employment equity amendments are still before the National Assembly sub Committee.  We have no idea as to when that sub committee will meet to discuss the equity legislation.  They have taken submissions from the public and we believe that will be put before Parliament early next year;

2.    The Employment Services Bill is also before the Parliamentary Sub Committee on Labour.  Once again this will only be discussed at the National Assembly early next year;

3.    The Basic Conditions of Employment Act has already gone through the sub committee phase, has been debated in Parliament and approved and it’s now before the National Council of Provinces.  This is very close to being passed in to law.  The Basic Conditions of Employment Act was debated at the Portfolio Committee on the 6th March 2013 and the National Assembly on the 20th June 2013.  It has to go through to the national Council of Provinces early next year, thereafter has to be signed off by the State President.  Once the State President has signed the legislation it will then go to the Government Gazette to be gazetted and printed, we suspect it should all be finalised by about June 2014;

4.    Likewise, the Labour Relations Act Amendment Bill went before the Parliamentary Sub Committee on the 18th June 2013 and before the National Assembly on the 20th August 2013.  It has to follow the same path as the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and we suspect it will be gazetted and published only in about June 2014;

5.    The Employment Equity Legislation has not been updated as yet for the Parliamentary sub committee and not for the National Assembly;

6.    The Employment Services Bill likewise there are no dates set as yet.

These changes to the legislation will lead to immense changes in the way we do business especially with short term contracts, labour brokers and strikes.  We will be building these changes into new letters of appointment and contracts of employment.  Please watch this space.