With the increasing number of COVID-19 infections, employers must deal with employees who test positive for the virus, those who come into contact with individuals who test positive, and those who present with COVID-19 related symptoms. It is therefore important for employers to understand when sick leave must be used.

The different sick leave options

The Labour Court’s looming deadline of 18 May 2020, compels government to issue detailed guidelines on health and safety and requires that all employers prepare and implement a Code of Practice to mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on mine employees returning to work.

Under Alert level 4, various mining operations are allowed to operate at

On 29 April 2020, new Regulations were published in terms of the Disaster Management Act which replaced previous lockdown regulations and set out the restrictions that will be imposed during Alert Level 4. These Regulations permit more categories of business to resume operations, subject to the establishment of, and compliance with, strict health protocols and

The current pandemic and the implementation of the lockdown has forced companies to implement various cost cutting measures to keep afloat. Those companies considering the need to retrench employees must first make every effort to find alternatives to retrenchment.

Alternatives to retrenchment include:

  • Companies can make use of support measures implemented by government such as