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In light of the recent Adjusted Alert Level 4 restrictions, the TERS has officially been extended once again for certain affected employees. The new claim period is from 16 March 2021 to 25 July 2021. Applications for the extended TERS benefit opened on 19 July 2021 and payments are due to commence from 26 July 2021. Importantly, the latest Directive provides that employers are still expected to apply for the TERS on behalf of qualifying employees in respect of the TERS extension. However, the TERS benefit payments will be made directly to employees’ bank accounts rather than to their employers...

The updated Consolidated Direction on Occupational Health and Safety Measures in certain Workplaces gave employers until 2 July 2021 to undertake or update their risk assessments to determine whether they intend to make vaccinations mandatory and for whom. But what can happen to employers who have missed the deadline? Aside from the monitoring and enforcement mechanisms outlined in the Directive, which include the extensive powers of labour inspectors, there are various other potential risks and consequences which non-compliant employers should appreciate...

At the end of November 2020, the European Commission published a plan for getting the EU out of the mess that it’s in as a result of COVID-19. The report is entitled “.” Although the report is aimed at European authorities and businesses, there are aspects of the plan that have general application. According to the report, IPR-intensive industries account for 93% of total EU exports of goods to the rest of the world, as well as almost 45% of Europe’s GDP and directly contribute to the creation of almost 30% of all jobs...

 With the third wave of COVID-19 in full swing in South Africa, it has never been more important for South African employers to anticipate and prepare for the various COVID-19 related disputes that may lie ahead. It is vital to learn from the challenges already confronted by employers worldwide concerning issues such as vaccination, occupational health and safety, and flexible working arrangements and their approaches to such matters...

On 11 June 2021, the Minister of Employment and Labour released the much-anticipated vaccination guidelines. These are included in the amended Consolidated Direction on Occupational Health and Safety Measures in certain Workplaces (the “Directive”). While some have interpreted the Directive as giving employers carte blanche to impose mandatory vaccination policies, this is not the case. Employers will still need to: ensure that they have a reasonable and justifiable reason for implementing a mandatory vaccination policy; and balance their employees’ constitutional rights in doing so...