Employment Equity Roadshow in Pietermaritzburg told of Form EEA4 revision to accommodate data on remuneration gaps
The Employment Equity roadshow held told today, (September 3) in Pietermaritzburg was told about the revised EEA4 form meant to assist the National Minimum Wage Commission and the Commission for Employment Equity to collect data that will assist in setting norms and benchmarking for different sectors, as well as determining disparities in terms of remuneration for top and low earners respectively.
“The form requires you to give the highest variable for top levels and the lowest variable for the last level. This is to show the gap differentials in remuneration between the top earners and the lowest earners,” the Deputy Director: Employment Equity, Masilo Lefika said.
He told the roadshow that employers are required to indicate whether they have a policy that deals with remuneration gap and that they have to determine the ratio of the lowest as well as the highest earners in the organisation. “You must indicate the number of times the lowest earner’s remuneration gets into the highest earner’s remuneration. In simple terms you divide the highest earner’s remuneration with the lowest earner’s remuneration,” he said.
“If you are a CEO of an organisation and you receive a bonus of R10 million and your lowest earners receive a meagre remuneration and they do not even have bonuses which cannot even sustain them to the end of the month nor allow them to take their kids to school, you should be having sleepless nights,” Ntsoaki Mamashela told the attendees.
Mamashela encouraged organisations to submit honest figures as the very same information will be used to set norms and benchmarks which will in a way affect them later on.
Mamashela told the roadshow to prepare themselves for the upcoming International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on violence and harassment in the world of work. She said: “Violence and harassment in the world of work refers to a range of unacceptable behaviours and practices, or threats whether a single occurrence or repeated, aimed at, result in, or are likely to result in physical, psychological, sexual or economic harm, and includes gender-based violence and harassment”.
She told the roadshow that the Convention protects workers and other persons in the world of work, including:
- Employees as defined by national law and practices, as well as
- Persons working irrespective of their contractual status;
- Persons in training, including interns and apprentices;
- Workers whose employment has been terminated;
- Volunteers;
- Job seekers and job applicants; and
- Individuals exercising the authority, duties or responsibilities of an employer.
“Convention applies to all sectors, whether private or public, both in the formal and informal economy, and whether in urban and rural areas”, Mamashela said.
Commissioner, Navie Green-Thompson from Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in Durban concluded the workshop by presenting case law on discrimination as well as processes to be followed in referring disputes. “If an employee earns below the threshold he or she has access to the CCMA and those earning above the threshold have a choice of referring their cases to the CCMA or directly to the Labour Court”, she said.
Under the theme: “Real transformation makes business sense” the roadshows are meant to create awareness on compliance with the Employment Equity Act.
Employers were reminded that the Employment Equity reporting period has started on September 1, and will conclude on October 1, for those reporting manually and 15 Januaryfor those reporting online.
The next workshop will be held tomorrow (September 04), at The Station, 65 Masabalala Yengwa Ave, Stamford Hill, Durban.
For more information and inquiries on EE matters please contact: 086 010 1018 or visit Department website www.labour.gov.za for more updates of the schedule on venues. -
Enquiries:
Makhosonke Buthelezi
Cell: 071 491 7236
E-mail: Makhosonke.buthelezi@labour.gov.za
