Despite a series of national public hearings hosted by the Department of Labour early in this year, domestic workers do not have much to rejoice about as the minimum annual wage increase is nominal. The minimum wage with effect from 01 December 2014 to 30 November 2015 in the City of Cape Town area, for those domestic workers who work more than 27 ordinary hours per week is R10.59 per hour, R476.68 per week or R2065.47 per month.

Minimum wages for domestic worker who work 27 ordinary hours per week or less are to be paid R12.40 per hour, R334.74 per week or R1450.33 per month.

The plight of the domestic workers will continue and they will strive to seek decent working and living conditions. Early in next year they will be given more rights in terms of the Unemployment Insurance Act and we are hoping that they will be protected by COIDA, in the near future, if injured on duty, become disabled as a result of injury, contract a disease at work or die resulting from such injury or diseases.

Bernard Reisner, an Industrial Relations Consultant of Cape Labour & Industrial Consultants has published a booklet which outlines all the requirements of the law pertaining to domestic workers. The booklet is entitled “You, Your Domestic Worker and the New Laws”. It covers the wide spectrum of facts, ranging from general conditions of employment to letters of employment, a pay slip format, a written warning format and fair dismissal procedures.
The booklet can be purchased for R49.00 and is only available by means of email.

Contact Bernard Reisner on (W) 021 423 3959, (Fax) 021 423 2105 or e-mail him at bernard@capelabour.co.za for an order form.
Visit our website on www.capelabour.co.za

Feel free to browse our blog for more insights into the labour law and how to manage certain situations.