What is a Business Incubator and How Can it Improve Your BEE Rating?
Your business may be struggling to meet clients' demands for a specific BEE level. Adding to this stress is the worry that failing to score well on the priority elements could prevent you from achieving the required BEE level. This situation can quickly turn BEE compliance into a barrier to your business's growth. But it doesn't have to be that way. One key priority element, Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD), carries substantial weight. When managed correctly, ESD can significantly...
Landmark Ruling Redefines Workplace Cannabis Policies
In a groundbreaking decision, the Labour Appeal Court reversed the Labour Court's ruling in Bernadette Enever vs. Barloworld Equipment, setting a new precedent that challenges the extent to which company policies can intrude into employees' private lives. The employee’s services were terminated after repeatedly testing positive for cannabis in her system. The employee, who used cannabis to manage severe anxiety, argued that her consumption, which occurred outside of work hours, did not impair...
In the Nick of Time?
Business Rescue is a Lifeline for Financially Distressed Companies – But Timing is Everything In the wake of increasing economic pressures and unforeseen global crises, the concept of Business Rescue emerged as a source of hope for companies teetering on the brink of financial collapse. With a noticeable uptick in applications for business rescue reported by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), it's clear that this mechanism is being recognised not as an admission of...
Is your business in Road Freight or Logistics?
The National Bargaining Council for Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI) is a compulsory Bargaining Council, which means that even if your Company contains one truck that carries, transports and stores freight for transport for reward, your Company does need to go through the process of registering with the NBCRFLI. What is Road Freight? Road freight is cargo movement between two places (a place of loading and a place of unloading) using power vehicles via a road...
Data Processing Agreements: Your Essential Guide.
At the core of POPIA's principles lies a fundamental distinction between two essential entities: The Responsible Party and an Operator. This distinction clearly outlines each party's roles, obligations, and responsibilities in upholding data protection standards and safeguarding individuals' privacy rights. The Responsible Party (usually a public or private business) will set out the purpose of the processing activity, and the Operator (sub-contractors, agents, suppliers,...
The perfect storm
If you have Domestic Employees working in and around your house, and you are also a parent as well as a pet owner, things can get a bit tricky when trying to maintain a calm household without incident. We live in a world where the idea of a “perfect environment” sometimes feels more like a ‘perfect storm’, it’s considered wise to be prepared for anything, even if those preparations must include a solution for when your Great Dane has an off day and decides to take it out on the gardener, who...
The BCEA protection band is expanding as the earnings threshold is increased.
From 1 April 2024, the threshold will increase to R254,371.67, up by R13,261.08 from its current level. This effectively means an employee earning more than R21,197.64 monthly will earn over the threshold. What does this mean for you and your workforce? Firstly, what is this earnings threshold all about? It's a crucial determinant outlined in section 6(3) of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). This figure dictates which provisions of the BCEA, the Labour Relations Act (LRA), and the...
DON’T SKIP ‘LEG DAY’ | FLEXING YOUR BUSINESS’ IP FOR A FITTER BOTTOM LINE
Neglecting the value of the Intellectual Property (IP) in your business enterprise is just like skipping leg day at the gym - a cardinal sin that can leave your business' growth wobbly and unbalanced. Intellectual property protection is the reward for all the hard work that you put into creating a distinctive and competitive product or service. And commercialising that IP reward not only adds value to your brand but could also potentially contribute significantly to your bottom line. How...
Increase in National Minimum Wage (NMW)
The national minimum wage will increase on 1st March 2024. The hourly wage will increase to R27.58 per hour. This marks an increase of 8.5%, which is much higher than the current Consumer Price Index of about 6%. Employees on the Expanded Public Works Program, are entitled to R15.16 per hour. Learnership allowances have also increased, and learners will be entitled to earn between R415.07 and R 2421.13 per week, depending on their level or credits already earned. The minimum wage for...
Improving your BEE rating through the benefit of Learnerships.
The Skills Development element is a priority element on the BEE Generic Scorecard. This element permits measured entities to be scored on and awarded BEE points for doing accredited training, Bursaries, Learnerships, Internships, Apprenticeships and informal training for black people (African, Coloured and Indian). This element amounts to 20 points on the Generic Codes of Good practice scorecard, which is an indication of how important this element is to BEE. As Skills Development is a...