Is it really that bad in SA?

Again, anecdotal
I've been told by a German person (who is now top management for a large manufacturing firm), who first worked there, then here for 10+ years, and is now back in Germany - you need to work 50 - 55 hours a week or you won't get anywhere in Germany (and he commented it sucks because you get minimal family time) and SA is way more chilled. Oh wait, that is again just another anecdotal entry.

I don't think the country is remotely relevant and it's completely circumstantial to the company your work for and it's management.

My previous job saw me doing 20-40 hours of overtime and no room for movement to do anything personal ever.

My current job is like a holiday in comparison with work from home options and no clock watching. Do your job and log your time. No drama.

Both companies are American too.
 
And if it's easy enough to tell me to change jobs, why not say the same to the domestic worker?

Yes, obviously that's a problem although she could also upgrade into working for a hotel or some such.

I just didn't know where you are coming from and had a similar job which I changed a year or so ago.
 
Really? :erm:

What are your qualifications and experience?

How do my qualifications and experience impact my ability (or lack of it) to look for another job if I don't like the T&C's in my present one?
 
Yes, obviously that's a problem although she could also upgrade into working for a hotel or some such.

I just didn't know where you are coming from and had a similar job which I changed a year or so ago.

As is your right. And the right of everyone who is unhappy or feels exploited.
 
@OP, see you have a house in Cape Town, it's the place to be if you wanna live in SA. Pay might be better elsewhere, but then you trade off on other stuff, like lifestyle and safety (to name a few).
I also had many opportunities to leave, chose to stay. Somedays I regret it, but most days I love it here.
 
are you a domestic worker? rest assured we are fighting day and night for all domestic workers to get what is due to them for overtime work

The irony of course being that employers in SA are exempt from paying overtime if an employees salary is OVER a certain amount.

Logic escapes you.
 
How do my qualifications and experience impact my ability (or lack of it) to look for another job if I don't like the T&C's in my present one?

It's much easier for someone with sought after skills and experience to get another job than someone who does menial and unskilled work. Surely this is obvious?
 
Those people get hefty bonuses to off-set that harsh reality most of the time.

"those people"?

Do you have any idea what the threshold is? People earning just above that threshold do not get "hefty bonuses" most of the time.
 
What is the threshold?

The section of the Act that regulate working hours does not apply to:

workers in senior management
sales staff who travel and regulate their own working hours
workers who work less than 24 hours in a month
workers who earn in excess of an amount stated in terms of section 6 (3) of the Act
workers engaged in emergency work are excluded from certain provisions.
workers engaged in emergency work are excluded from certain provisions.

The earnings threshold published in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) is currently R205,433.30 per annum.
Employees who earn below this threshold amount are entitled to the protection of the working hour provisions of the BCEA.
 
The section of the Act that regulate working hours does not apply to:

workers in senior management
sales staff who travel and regulate their own working hours
workers who work less than 24 hours in a month
workers who earn in excess of an amount stated in terms of section 6 (3) of the Act
workers engaged in emergency work are excluded from certain provisions.
workers engaged in emergency work are excluded from certain provisions.

The earnings threshold published in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) is currently R205,433.30 per annum.
Employees who earn below this threshold amount are entitled to the protection of the working hour provisions of the BCEA.

Okay, but what does the 'regulate working hours' refer to, actually?
 
Okay, but what does the 'regulate working hours' refer to, actually?

Max hours per week. Hours between shifts. Overtime, etc.


2. REGULATION OF WORKING TIME : CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Application

This chapter does not apply to senior managerial employees, employees engaged as sales staff who travel and employees who work less than 24 hours a month.

2.2 Ordinary hours of work : Section 9

No employer shall require or permit an employee to work more than
(a) 45 hours in any week;
(b) nine hours in any day if an employee works for five days or less in a week; or
(c) eight hours in any day if an employee works on more than five days in a week.

2.3 Overtime : Section 10

2.3.1 An employer may not require or permit an employee
(a) to work overtime except by an agreement;
(b) to work more than ten hours’ overtime a week.

2.3.2 An agreement may not require or permit an employee to work more than 12 hours on any day.

2.3.3 A collective agreement may increase overtime to fifteen hours per week for up to two months in any period of 12 months.

2.3.4 Overtime must be paid at 1.5 times the employee’s normal wage or an employee may agree to receive paid time off.

2.4 Compressed working week : Section 11

2.4.1 An employee may agree in writing to work up to 12 hours in a day without receiving overtime pay.
2.4.2 This agreement may not require or permit an employee to work
(a) more than 45 ordinary hours in any week;
(b) more than ten hours’ overtime in any week; or
(c) more than five days in any week.

2.5 Averaging of hours of work : Section 12

2.5.1 A collective agreement may permit the hours of work to be averaged over a period of up to four months.

2.5.2 An employee who is bound by such a collective agreement may not work more than
(a) an average of 45 ordinary hours in a week over the agreed period;
(b) an average of five hours’ overtime in a week over the agreed period.

2.6 Meal intervals : Section 14

2.6.1 An employee must have a meal interval of 60 minutes after five hours work.

2.6.2 A written agreement may
(a) reduce the meal interval to 30 minutes;
(b) dispense with the meal interval for employees who work fewer than six hours on a day.

2.7 Daily and weekly rest period : Section 15

An employee must have a daily rest period of 12 consecutive hours and a weekly rest period of 36 consecutive hours, which, unless otherwise agreed, must include Sunday.

2.8 Pay for work on Sundays : Section 16

2.8.1 An employee who occasionally works on a Sunday must receive double pay.

2.8.2 An employee who ordinarily works on a Sunday must be paid at 1.5 times the normal wage.

2.8.3 Paid time off in return for working on a Sunday may be agreed upon.

2.9 Night work : Section 17

2.9.1 Employees who work at night between 18h00 and 06h00 must be compensated by payment of an allowance or by a reduction of working hours and transport must be available.

2.9.2 Employees who work regularly after 23:00 and before 06:00 the next day must be informed
(a) of any health and safety hazards; and
(b) the right to undergo a medical examination.

2.10 Public holidays : Section 18

2.10.1 Employees must be paid their ordinary pay for any public holiday that falls on a working day.

2.10.2 Work on a public holiday is by agreement and paid at double the rate.

2.10.3 A public holiday may be exchanged with another day by agreement.
 
@OP

I'd be very hesitant to come back to SA. I think people who say it's not all that bad, and that there are problems everywhere else in the world, have their heads stuck up their @ss. No offense to them as they may have their reasons for thinking so and their own perspectives but I honestly cannot understand their logic and how they rank SA with those other places that are "oh so bad also". I could literally go on for hours and hours and hours for everything bad here, and only spend a few seconds for what is good. It would fall on deaf ears though :rolleyes:

If you need safety, security, education, basic services, transport, investment/wealth, identity, opportunities, employment, advancement, general civility, good standards etc... You're not going to find it here, period! If you're anti-capitalist and live in a world where global economies and western standards don't matter to you (And you live in a weird world with logic I don't understand) then maybe it's okay.

But only you know your own circumstances and other reasons for wanting to come back. :)
 
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It's much easier for someone with sought after skills and experience to get another job than someone who does menial and unskilled work. Surely this is obvious?

Perhaps, but nothing stops you looking and trying to improve your lot.
 
@OP

I'd be very hesitant to come back to SA. I think people who say it's not all that bad, and that there are problems everywhere else in the world, have their heads stuck up their @ss. No offense to them as they may have their reasons for thinking so and their own perspectives but I honestly cannot understand their logic and how they rank SA with those other places that are "oh so bad also". I could literally go on for hours and hours and hours for everything bad here, and only spend a few seconds for what is good. It would fall on deaf ears though :rolleyes:

If you need safety, security, education, basic services, transport, investment/wealth, identity, opportunities, employment, advancement, general civility, good standards etc... You're not going to find it here, period! If you're anti-capitalist and live in a world where global economies and western standards don't matter to you (And you live in a weird world with logic I don't understand) then maybe it's okay.

But only you know your own circumstances and other reasons for wanting to come back. :)

Just because you don't understand my world view, doesn't mean I have my head stuck up my arse :p
 
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