If you searched for an HIV and AIDS counselling course, here is the direct answer: BOTI does not run HIV counselling training. HIV counselling and testing is done by trained health workers. BOTI works on the workplace side, helping employers, managers and staff understand HIV and AIDS, support affected colleagues and handle the subject fairly under South African law.
The current course runs at your offices anywhere in South Africa, live online or at a BOTI venue. The course page has the up-to-date outline and group prices.
See the current courseGet a quote for your teamSee all Human Resources, Labour and Employment Equity courses
Learning on your own? Self-paced e-learning from R595 (excl. VAT) · Ask your employer to pay
This article explains the difference between an HIV counselling course and workplace HIV training. It covers where employees should go for testing and treatment, what the law expects of employers, and what a sound workplace approach looks like.
HIV counselling course or workplace HIV training: which do you need?
Two different needs often lead to the same search. Some people want to become counsellors and work one to one with people who are being tested or living with HIV. Others are HR managers, supervisors or business owners who need to manage HIV and AIDS fairly in their organisation. These are different kinds of training, and it helps to know which one you are looking for before you spend time or budget.
If you want to counsel people
HIV counselling is health work. It is linked to testing and treatment and is carried out by trained health workers. If you are looking for accredited counselling courses because you want to work in this field, BOTI is not the right place. Ask at a clinic, a health facility or a health organisation about how their counsellors are trained, and check that any qualification you consider is properly registered before you enrol.
If you need to manage HIV at work
This is what BOTI trains. The HIV/AIDS Workplace Management Training is a one-day course for employees, managers and HR staff. It covers what HIV and AIDS are, how they affect the workplace, the roles of employer and employee, non-discrimination and the relevant legislation. It does not train delegates to counsel or test anyone. Instead, it prepares them to treat colleagues with respect, protect confidentiality and apply workplace policy correctly.
Where employees should go for testing, counselling and treatment
A workplace is not a clinic, and managers should not act as counsellors or give medical advice. When an employee wants to know their status or needs support, the right places are:
- a public clinic or the employee’s own doctor, for testing, counselling and ongoing care;
- the organisation’s employee wellness programme, where one exists;
- public clinics for treatment, where antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) is available free of charge.
A manager’s role is to know where these services are, to point people to them calmly and without judgement, and to keep whatever an employee shares confidential. Medical decisions belong to the employee and their health worker.
What South African law expects of employers
Employers have clear legal duties when it comes to HIV and AIDS. The main points every manager and HR practitioner should know are:
- No unfair discrimination. The Employment Equity Act prohibits unfair discrimination against an employee on the basis of HIV status. This applies to recruitment, promotion, pay, training, discipline and dismissal.
- HIV testing only with Labour Court authorisation. An employer may test an employee for HIV only when the Labour Court has authorised it. A manager cannot ask or require an employee to take an HIV test as a condition of employment or at any other time.
- Confidentiality. An employee’s HIV status is confidential. Whether, when and to whom they disclose is their decision. If an employee does disclose to a manager or HR, that information must not be shared without their consent.
- The Code of Good Practice. The Code of Good Practice on HIV and AIDS and the World of Work (2012) guides employers in setting up workplace policies and programmes on HIV and AIDS.
These obligations sit alongside the wider employment equity framework. Managers who want a broader grounding in that area can look at Employment Equity Fundamentals Training.
Why awareness and support matter at work
Most workplace problems around HIV do not come from bad intentions. They come from silence, uncertainty and old assumptions. A supervisor who is unsure what to say may say nothing, or the wrong thing. Colleagues may repeat myths. An employee living with HIV may feel unable to ask for the support that company policy already allows.
Awareness training addresses this directly. When people understand the facts and the law, a few practical things change:
- employees are more likely to use the wellness and health services available to them;
- managers know what they may and may not ask, and how to respond if someone discloses their status;
- stigma and gossip are challenged rather than tolerated;
- the organisation applies its HIV and AIDS policy consistently, which reduces the risk of unfair discrimination claims.
Support at work does not mean managers handling medical matters. It means a workplace where people are treated fairly, confidentiality is respected and everyone knows where to find help.
What a workplace HIV and AIDS policy should cover
Many organisations have an HIV and AIDS policy that few people have read. Using the Code of Good Practice as a guide, a practical policy usually sets out:
- a commitment to non-discrimination on the basis of HIV status;
- how confidentiality is protected, and who may see health-related information;
- the position on HIV testing, in line with the requirement for Labour Court authorisation;
- how employees can reach testing, counselling, treatment and wellness support;
- how illness, leave and changes in an employee’s ability to work are handled under existing policies;
- awareness and prevention activities for all staff;
- who is responsible for the programme and how it is reviewed.
A policy only works if managers and staff understand it. Training is often the point where a policy on paper becomes something people actually apply. Staff who handle personnel records may also benefit from POPIA Basic Training, which deals with handling personal information responsibly.
What BOTI’s workplace HIV and AIDS training covers
The one-day HIV/AIDS Workplace Management Training covers:
- defining HIV and AIDS and how they affect the workplace;
- employees who have HIV or AIDS, including medical treatment and resources available at work;
- HIV and AIDS programmes, and the roles of the employer and the employee;
- disease prevention;
- promoting non-discrimination;
- HIV and AIDS legislation;
- dealing with the effects of HIV and AIDS at work.
Who should attend
The course is designed for all employees, managers and individuals. It is particularly relevant to supervisors, managers and HR staff who support colleagues living with HIV or AIDS, run workplace HIV and AIDS programmes, or need to apply non-discrimination and the relevant legislation fairly.
Related options
BOTI also offers HIV/AIDS in the Workplace (Unit Standard 13915), which is based on the outcomes of unit standard 13915. Organisations taking a wider view of employee wellbeing can add Health and Wellness at Work Training. The full range is in BOTI’s Health, Safety and Wellness courses.
Frequently asked questions
Does BOTI offer an HIV counselling course?
No. BOTI does not run HIV counselling training. HIV counselling and testing is done by trained health workers. BOTI runs HIV and AIDS workplace training for employers, managers and staff, which covers understanding HIV, non-discrimination, confidentiality and workplace policy.
Where can an employee get HIV testing, counselling and treatment?
Employees should use a public clinic, their own doctor or their organisation’s employee wellness programme. Antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) is available free at public clinics. Managers should point employees to these services and keep anything an employee shares confidential.
Can an employer test an employee for HIV?
Only when the Labour Court authorises it. The Employment Equity Act also prohibits unfair discrimination on the basis of HIV status, and an employee’s status is confidential. The Code of Good Practice on HIV and AIDS and the World of Work (2012) guides employers on workplace policy.
Who should attend HIV and AIDS workplace training?
The one-day course is intended for all employees, managers and individuals. It is especially useful for supervisors, managers and HR staff who support colleagues living with HIV or AIDS, run workplace HIV and AIDS programmes or apply the relevant legislation.
If your aim is to manage HIV and AIDS fairly at work rather than to counsel individuals, the HIV/AIDS Workplace Management Training gives your managers and staff the facts, the legal framework and a practical approach in one day. This course is not accredited. It is delivered as a professional skills programme, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance. Call BOTI on 011 882 8853 or email [email protected]. Training runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online.
