On-the-job snoozers blame underpayment
DoL catch Richards Bay employees sleeping at work.
THE Department of Labour paid a surprise visit to wholesalers and retailers in Richards Bay last week and were instead the ones being surprised when they found staff members sleeping on the job.
In their defence, the employees said they are underpaid and submitted a list of demands for their employers.
‘They want their salaries to be increased by 10%; for their employers to accept medical certificates from clinics as doctors consultation fees are high; and that family responsibility time off be increased from three to five days a year,’ said DoL Acting Departmental Spokesperson Mokgadi Pela.
While this might seem audacious, the DoL stated employees in the retail sector often get paid less than the stipulated minimum wages.
For this purpose, the department visits them to get their feedback.
‘Over the years we have noticed that employers are not releasing their employees to attend our public hearings, hence these visits to obtain information from workers,’ said DoL Deputy Director Shaun Feldman.
‘The visits are used to give employees the opportunity to give their inputs into the new amendments into the Wholesale and Retail Sectoral Determination that will be effective from February 2016.’
The Determination affects cashiers, clerks, assistant managers, displayers, forklift operators, security guards, merchandisers, managers, sales assistants, sales persons, shop assistant supervisors and trainee managers.
A public hearing was held in Richards Bay on Wednesday where allowances and leave structures were discussed.
For the current Determination, which took effect from 1 February, the minimum wage increased at rates between 6.1% and 8.1% in various job categories.
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