We wish to advise all clients that as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus crisis both the Labour Court and the CCMA have issued directives which will materially affect matters going forward. If currently you have or it is planned to have any matter taken to either of these institutions, then please note the following:

 LABOUR COURT DIRECTIVE

  • Judges and staff will deal only with matters that are already set down for adjudication and urgent matters. In this regard, only legal practitioners, union officials, employer’s organization officials and litigants are permitted to enter the Court building to attend the hearings.
  • Members of the public including legal practitioners, messengers, union officials, employers’ organization officials are prohibited from entering the Court building for any purpose whatsoever, including to commence new proceedings, unless they are litigants in a matter which has been set down.
  • Parties who wish to postpone their matters due to the virus must alert the relevant Judge’s secretary urgently to avoid them from having to attend at Court unnecessarily.

CCMA DIRECTIVE

  • Matters set down between 18 March up to and including 14 April 2020 are postponed with immediate effect.
  • No contact is to be made with CCMA staff. New referrals or pleadings in respect of current matters will only be accepted electronically by the use of emails or faxes.
  • Pre-conciliation processes will be conducted by telephone.
  • Conciliation proceedings will be conducted by telephone if agreed by the parties
  • Large scale dismissal processes, section 188A processes and other matters of public interest may be set down in alternative forums or tribunals.

If you have any queries regarding these Directives or any other issue regarding the impact of Coronavirus on your business and your employees, please do not hestitate to contact us.

DISCLAIMER

Prepared by SolomonHolmes Attorneys, specialist employment law advisors.

This note is published for general purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.  Please feel free to contact Anthony Solomon or Theresa Achada at SolomonHolmes Attorneys in relation to any employment law related query. SolomonHolmes Attorneys’ contact details are:

Le Val Office Park, 45 Jan Smuts Avenue, Westcliff, Johannesburg (011) 646 4235 

info@solomonholmes.local.