The Department of Labour (DoL) will this weekend resume a series of public hearings in various province on the review of the minimum wages and other conditions of employment for Domestic Workers in South Africa.
This, in the light of the coming to an end of the three-year Sectoral Determination “regime”. The current Sectoral Determination in force ends in November 2014.
Provinces hosting Domestic Worker Public Hearings on June 14 include Gauteng (Vereeniging – Roshnee Citv Hall, Bilal Street) ; Limpopo (Louis Trichardt DoL’s provincial office 102 Krogh Street); Northern Cape (Springbok, Nama Khoi Municipality, Sebra Street); and Free State (Bloemfontein, 43 Maitland Street Laboria House.
All hearings start at 12h00.
On June 15 hearings will be held in Limpopo (Polokwane Royal 34A cnr Jorrissen and Dorp Streets); Upington (Presbetarian Church, Paballelo);
The hearings will start at 12h00, with the exception of Upington which starts at 15:00.
The Domestic Worker public hearings on the three-year minimum wage review starts on June 2nd in Ermelo, Mpumalanga.
The Domestic Worker Sector in South African covers people working in private household; independent contractors who are doing contract work; people employed by employment services; a person doing gardening in a private home, people who look after children, sick or old people and people with disabilities in a private home and a person driving for a household.
In terms of Sectoral Determination of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) - Domestic Workers have a right to - annual leave, domestic workers may take paid leave to attend to certain family situations requires that employers give domestic workers certain details of their employment in writing, domestic workers may take paid leave to attend to certain family situations, does not allow for the employment of children under the age of 15, gives pregnant domestic workers the right to take maternity leave, allows for deductions from a domestic worker’s pay only under certain conditions.
In addition, the Sectoral Determination on Domestic Workers stipulate rules for sick leave, stipulates the conditions for working on Public Holidays for domestic workers, terms for sick leave, sets the regulations for temporary employment agencies for domestic workers, stipulates the procedures for termination of an employment contract, regulates working hours and rest periods for domestic workers and prescribes the wages for working on a Sunday.
The hearings will allow all stakeholders (employers, workers, unions and other interested parties) a say on matters relating to the modalities to be considered when setting the minimum wage; working hours and how to review other conditions of employment.
It should also be borne in mind that the Department of Labour has established a task team in order to come up with some form of social protection (Provident Fund) for domestic workers. The reason is to assist workers in saving for their retirement needs.
Workers and employers will also have an opportunity to have a say on this initiative as this will also have an impact on the wage structure.
Enquiries:
Page Boikanyo
Cell: 082 809 3195
