By Lloyd Ramutloa —30 June 2017
The Department of Labour’s Innovation Pilot Project will kick-start on the 3rd of July 2017. This is a pilot project aimed at unearthing innovative inspection methods in the Domestic Sector.
The move to embark on this project in this sector was necessitated by the fact that domestic employers are often employees themselves, and therefore unable to reach for inspections during normal working hours. This therefore meant that labour inspectors had to find other means to adequately attend to all inspections in the sector.
In addition to that, domestic workers are regarded as vulnerable workers and the sector within which they operate is therefore one of the priority areas where innovation has long been earmarked.
This pilot project is a culmination of deliberations which took place during the Innovation Workshop which was aimed at devising ways and means to respond to changes in the labour market.
These inspections will then be conducted from the 3rd – 6th of July 2017 in Bloemfontein, Welkom, Harrismith and Petrusburg respectively.
Two inspection methodologies aimed at enhancing the quality and efficiency of the inspection process will be adopted for this project;
Desktop Inspection – an inspection that will be conducted by an inspector while stationed at the Labour Centre. The inspection could be finalized without physically visiting the employer provided that all the information requested from the employer is received and the employer complies. Interview with both the employer and the employee will be conducted telephonically.
Afterhours Inspection – an inspection that will be conducted after normal working hours. This inspection requires a physical visit to the employer’s household. Information is requested during the inspection with the exception of Unemployment Insurance as it will be required prior the visit. Interview with the employee is conducted in person if the domestic employee resides with the employer and telephonically if he/she commutes daily.
These inspections will be conducted to check compliance with the following labour laws;
Sectoral Determination (SD) for the Domestic Sector (SD 7);
Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA); and
Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act (UICA).
At the end of this Innovation Pilot Project a comparison will be done between the two inspection approaches to identify the most efficient and effective approach to be adopted for future inspections in the Domestic Sector.
Issued by: Josial Ramokoena
Provincial Spokesperson
Department of Labour: Free State
