Audrey Johnson is an executive at ENS in the Employment practice. She specialises in advising clients on their obligations in terms of all employment legislation (including the Labour Relations Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Employment Equity Act) and on all employment law related issues such as dismissals, unfair labour practices, unfair discrimination, retrenchments (including large scale retrenchments) and restructuring, employment issues in the contexed of distressed business or companies in business rescue, transfers of employment in terms of section 197, changes to terms and conditions of employment, compensation and remuneration. She also advises and assist clients with all aspects of collective bargaining, including managing strikes and implementing lockouts. 

Audrey’s experience includes litigating in the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, the Labour Court and the High Court in unfair dismissal disputes, unfair labour practice claims, unfair discrimination claims, disputes relating to the interpretation and application of collective agreements, interdict proceedings in respect of industrial action, contractual claims and restraint of trade applications.

She can assist clients with drafting or reviewing all employment related contracts including indefinite and fixed term contracts of employment, independent contractor or consultancy agreements, restraint of trade agreements, labour supply agreements, recognition and collective bargaining agreements and agreements in terms of section 197 of the Labour Relations Act.  In addition, she assists clients in the preparation of any employment related policies, procedures and employee handbooks.

Audrey has assisted corporate clients with conducting internal disciplinary hearings, counselling employees with regards to poor performance and conducting poor performance enquiries.

Audrey has also developed a particular interest in sexual harassment and has acted for and advised clients on sexual harassment claims, reviewed sexual harassment policies and presented training programmes to clients that are aimed at helping them to prevent and deal with sexual harassment. She has published articles in the media and presented talks on the topic. 

Education

• LLB (distinction) (University of the Witwatersrand)
• BCom (University of the Witwatersrand)
• Admitted as an attorney in the High Court of South Africa

Audrey is recognised as a leading/recommended lawyer by:

• Best Lawyers®  2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 – Labour and Employment law ; 2023, 2022, 2021 – Employee benefits (South Africa)

• South Africa: Cost-cutting employment alternatives to retrenchment following the extended lockdown

  By Audrey Johnson |April 2020