DoL ends EE roadshows by stressing the need for compliance with legislation.

DoL ends EE roadshows by stressing the need for compliance with legislation.

The Department of Labour’s well attended Employment Equity (EE) roadshows came to an end with two events in the Vaal and Ekurhuleni in Gauteng today (Friday), where stakeholders were urged to comply with the labour laws especially around the code of good practice on preparations and implementations of the equity plan.

The meetings, which started in Kimberley on July 11, took place under the theme: Transformation makes business sense.

Lucia Rayner, Department of Labours’ Employment Equity Deputy Director, told an audience from largely Municipality that the code puts together everything in the act to enable employers to prepare an Employment Equity Plan.

‘’The code is derived from principles in our regulations and constitution’’ She said.

As to who should draw it up, Rayner said all employers who are regarded as designated in terms of the act including those employers who choose to comply voluntarily.

Rayner said the Employment Equity Plan is a designated employers’ implementation programme to achieve equitable representation and fair treatment of the designated groups across all levels in the work place.

She said in designing an equity plan, the employer must consult with representative trade unions or representative nominated by employees.

Masilo Lefika, Deputy Director Employment Equity, told a large audience in the Vaal that the representative must reflect the interest of employees from across all occupational levels of the employees from designated groups and non designated groups.

Rayner and Lefika said matters for consultations include conducting an analysis according to section 19 of Employment Equity Act. The preparations and implementations of the equity plan according to section 20 and preparation and submission of the equity report according to section 21.

The EE Online and manual reporting season opened on 01 September 2017. The manual reporting closes on 01 October 2017, and the online reporting season closes in January 2018.