Covid Business Assistance or Relief
Covid-19: Textile industry agrees on temporary relief for employees
Labour lawyer Dunstan Farrell told Groundup that while these regulations do not specify the rand amounts, the standard industry agreements reflected that the scheme would pay out between R3,500 – the minimum wage – up to a maximum of R17,712 per worker on a sliding scale. He explained that wages are paid at an hourly rate, per hour actually worked, while salaries are a fixed amount per month.
With the implementation of the national lockdown by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 26 March, there has been understandable confusion…
Shane Johnson and Samantha Robb 8 Apr 2020
The regulations state that the issue of relief for salaried workers is to be referred to a Rapid Response team, established to consider and resolve any unforeseen matters. The preamble to the regulations records the intention to ensure that workers are not left destitute and to protect the industry.
In order to claim, both the company and the employers need to be “in good standing” with the fund. The secretary to the council has to open a designated bank account into which the funds will be paid, ringfenced, and paid out to qualifying employees. The funds, at all times, will be considered “worker funds”.
The secretary must keep proper accounting records and submit weekly reports of all income and disbursements to the fund. Companies must provide proper documentation for any drawdown of funds, and these must be made immediately available to the fund on request.
Any funds which remain after the lockdown period must be refunded.
In the wake of the announcement of the national shutdown, the Minister of Employment and Labour has announced the introduction of measures in response to coronavirus (Covid-19) and its impact on UIF contributors…
Jean Ewang 25 Mar 2020
“The parties acknowledge that the cost implications are unforeseen and unprecedented and shall continue to explore means by which it could be mitigated.”
The agreement records that post lockdown, any overtime required to make up lost production will be paid at a normal rate.
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