Home / Non-Accredited / Human Resources, Labour & Employment Equity / Labour Relations and Labour Law Fundamentals (3 days)
Quick Look Course Summary:Labour Relations and Labour Law Fundamentals (3 days)
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Length: 3 day(s)
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Price (at your venue): 1 Person R 14,997 EX VAT 3 Person R 11,205 EX VAT 10 Person R 8,120 EX VAT
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Certification Type:Non-Accredited
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Locations & Venues: Off-site or in-house. We train in all major city centres throughout South Africa.
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Labour Relations and Labour Law Fundamentals (3 days)
HR staff, managers and shop stewards who understand South African labour law well enough to apply it correctly and avoid costly disputes.
Most labour disputes start with a manager or HR officer who did not know what the law required: overtime calculated wrongly, leave refused unlawfully, or a dismissal without a fair reason or a fair procedure. This three-day labour law course gives HR staff, managers and shop stewards a solid working knowledge of South African labour legislation and the codes of good practice, and shows how each rule plays out in everyday decisions.
Day one sets out the framework – the Constitution, the main Acts, the codes of good practice and the institutions that enforce them – and then works through the Basic Conditions of Employment Act: who it covers, working time and overtime, leave, particulars of employment, pay and deductions, notice and termination, and how inspectors enforce it. Day two covers the Labour Relations Act: organisational rights, collective bargaining, strikes, unfair labour practices, the three grounds for dismissal, automatically unfair dismissals and dispute resolution at the CCMA and bargaining councils.
Day three applies the law to people management: the Employment Equity Act and harassment, fair recruitment, setting and reviewing performance standards, and handling hearings so that decisions rest on the evidence. Case studies and dispute examples run through all three days. Legal content is general guidance, not legal advice.
Why this course
For your organisation
- Fewer disputes referred to the CCMA and bargaining councils
- Correct application of working time, leave and pay rules
- Managers and shop stewards working from the same understanding of the law
- Fair, documented performance and disciplinary processes
- Lower risk of compensation awards and reinstatement orders
For your delegates
- A clear map of the Acts and codes that govern employment
- Practical answers to everyday questions on hours, leave and notice
- An understanding of what makes a dismissal fair
- Confidence when advising on or representing in a dispute
What delegates will be able to do
- Describe the framework of South African labour law and the roles of the CCMA, bargaining councils and Labour Court
- Apply the Basic Conditions of Employment Act to working time, overtime, leave, pay and notice
- Explain how the Basic Conditions of Employment Act is monitored and enforced
- Distinguish between employees and independent contractors
- Explain organisational rights, collective bargaining and the rules on strikes
- Identify unfair labour practices and the requirements for a fair dismissal
- Follow a dispute from referral through conciliation and arbitration
- Apply the Employment Equity Act to recruitment, harassment and unfair discrimination
- Set performance standards, monitor performance and conduct a performance review
- Prepare for and handle a hearing, reaching a reasoned decision on the evidence
Who should attend
HR officers, practitioners and managers, industrial relations staff, line managers who deal with discipline and leave, and shop stewards and other employee representatives. No legal background is needed.
Course outline
Day 1 – The legal framework and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act
The framework of labour law
- Labour rights in the Constitution
- The main Acts: LRA, BCEA, EEA, OHSA, COIDA, the Unemployment Insurance Act and the Skills Development Act
- Codes of good practice, sectoral determinations and collective agreements
- The CCMA, bargaining councils, Labour Court and labour inspectors
- Keeping up with amendments
The employment relationship
- Who is an employee: the presumption of employment
- Independent contractors and temporary employment services
- Contracts of employment and written particulars
- Company policies and the code of conduct
Working time
- Ordinary hours, overtime and overtime pay
- Meal intervals, rest periods and Sunday work
- Night work and public holidays
- Who is excluded from the working-time rules
Leave
- Annual leave
- Sick leave and the sick-leave cycle
- Family responsibility leave
- Maternity and parental leave
- Exercise: leave scenarios
Pay, termination and enforcement
- Remuneration information and lawful deductions
- Notice periods and payment in lieu of notice
- Severance pay and the certificate of service
- Inspections, compliance orders and claims
Day 2 – The Labour Relations Act: fairness, dismissal and disputes
Rights under the Labour Relations Act
- Purpose of the Act and freedom of association
- Organisational rights: access, stop orders, shop stewards and information
- Collective bargaining and bargaining councils
- Workplace forums
Strikes and lock-outs
- Protected and unprotected strikes
- Procedural requirements
- Picketing rules
- Essential and maintenance services
- Managing the workplace during industrial action
Unfair labour practices
- Promotion, demotion, probation and training
- Benefits and unfair suspension
- Disciplinary action short of dismissal
- Occupational detriment after a protected disclosure
Fair dismissal
- Substantive and procedural fairness
- Misconduct and the Code of Good Practice: Dismissal
- Incapacity: poor performance and ill health
- Operational requirements and retrenchment consultation
- Automatically unfair dismissals
Resolving disputes
- Referring a dispute and the time limits
- Conciliation, arbitration and con-arb
- Preparing evidence and witnesses
- Awards, reviews and enforcement
- Case study: a dismissal dispute
Day 3 – Employment equity, fair people practices and hearings
The Employment Equity Act
- Prohibition of unfair discrimination
- Medical and psychological testing
- Duties of designated employers: plans, reports and sector targets
- The Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace
Fair recruitment and selection
- Planning and preparing for recruitment
- Recruiting applicants without discrimination
- Selecting staff on the inherent requirements of the job
- Recording selection decisions
Performance standards and reviews
- Setting clear performance standards for each team member
- Systems for monitoring performance
- Preparing for a performance review
- Conducting the review interview
- Poor performance and the incapacity route
Handling hearings
- Preparing the charge and the notice
- The role of the chairperson
- Weighing evidence and credibility
- Reaching and recording a reasoned decision
- Choosing an appropriate sanction
Applying the law at work
- Case studies across the three Acts
- Common mistakes that lead to CCMA awards
- Personal action plan and close
How it is delivered
Three days, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20; case studies can be drawn from your sector and bargaining council. Workbook and quick-reference guides to the main Acts included. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
“We are highly satisfied with the quality of delivery and the professionalism demonstrated by your facilitator. The course content was structured perfectly to meet our needs, keeping our team fully engaged throughout the session.”
“We were highly impressed by the high caliber of the training provided. The facilitator demonstrated a deep level of expertise that added significant value to the sessions.”
“The course was efficiently scheduled and planned around our timetable. We were impressed by the quality of training given.”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. Most groups are trained at the client's premises anywhere in South Africa; we can also host it at a BOTI venue or deliver it live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of 20. The price per delegate drops as the group grows – see the price table, or ask us for a quote.
Is it accredited?
No – it is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Do delegates need a legal background?
No. The law is explained in plain language and always linked to practical workplace situations. It suits HR staff, managers and shop stewards alike.
How is this different from Effectively Manage Human Resources & Labour Relations?
That course is about running HR processes – policies, contracts, performance evaluation and disciplinary procedures. This course concentrates on the law itself: what the BCEA, LRA and EEA require and how disputes are decided.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
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Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00. After hours, we reply on the next working day – or call 011 882 8853.