Stellenbosch wine farm ordered to pay R800 000 to employee it fired when she gave birth to baby

[TheChamp]

The Cape Town Labour Court has ordered Quoin Rock Wines to back pay R800 000 to former financial manager Melissa Brendt for unfair dismissal relating to her pregnancy.

Brendt fell pregnant in September 2019 after receiving IVF treatment and informed Company CEO Denis Gaiduk on 3 January 2020 that she would go on maternity leave on 31 May that year.

On 14 May, she was to formally hand over to an employee who would take over her duties for the duration of her 4-month maternity leave. However, she was hospitalised two days prior due to complications with her pregnancy.

Stellenbosch wine farm ordered to pay R800 000 to employee it fired when she gave birth to baby | News24

The Cape Town Labour Court has ordered Quoin Rock Wines to back pay R800 000 to former financial manager Melissa Brendt for unfair dismissal relating to her pregnancy.

www.news24.com

 

[TheChamp]

In his testimony, Gaiduk said Brendt's pregnancy had caught him by surprise because "she did not have a boyfriend".

With Managers like that, the importance of our labour laws can't be emphasized enough.

 

[Fulcrum29]

With Managers like that, the importance of our labour laws can't be emphasized enough.

The Gaiduk's are actually the owners. Family business, and as with these businesses, it is a culture with their own house rules.

They should invest in HR...

 

[TheChamp]

The Gaiduk's are actually the owners. Family business, and as with these businesses, it is a culture with their own house rules.

They should invest in HR...

Oh? it now make sense, your personal business is everyone's business. I was wondering why he was giving me the Saltzman vibes.

 

[Cosmik Debris]

With an education like this, Ukrainian businessman Vitaly Gaiduk and his son Denis, should have known far better:

Denis Gaiduk​

CEO at Quoin Rock Wines - Executive MBA Global at Columbia Business School​

City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa​

Education​

• Columbia Business School
  
  
  

  Columbia Business School​

  Master of Business Administration - MBABusiness Administration and Management, GeneralMBA Executive Global​

  2017 - 2019
• London Business School
  
  
  

  London Business School​

  Master of Business Administration - MBAEMBA-Global Americas & Europe​

  2017 - 2019
• Newcastle University
  
  
  

  Newcastle University​

  Master of Science - MSMechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering​

  2006 - 2007

 

[Mzezman]

With an education like this, Ukrainian businessman Vitaly Gaiduk and his son Denis, should have known far better:

Denis Gaiduk​

CEO at Quoin Rock Wines - Executive MBA Global at Columbia Business School​

City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa​

Education​

• Columbia Business School
  
  
  

  Columbia Business School​

  Master of Business Administration - MBABusiness Administration and Management, GeneralMBA Executive Global​

  2017 - 2019
• London Business School
  
  
  

  London Business School​

  Master of Business Administration - MBAEMBA-Global Americas & Europe​

  2017 - 2019
• Newcastle University
  
  
  

  Newcastle University​

  Master of Science - MSMechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering​

  2006 - 2007

Book smarts is not always smart

 

[ForceFate]

Book smarts is not always smart

My ex employer had a manager like this. 2 technical masters degrees from Europe, as well as executive training from the US but he regularly flouted every law known to man. Think @rvZA 's idea of a workplace.

 

[rvZA]

My ex employer had a manager like this. 2 technical masters degrees from Europe, as well as executive training from the US but he regularly flouted every law known to man. Think @rvZA 's idea of a workplace.

Firstly, I would not be dumb enough to start a business locally and create workplaces in this country. The government and laws are solidly against the business or any person wanting to start a business. That being said, I pretty much agree with the statements above. These people wanted to do business in SA. They disagreed with me and done what I never would have done in the first place. They needed to invest in an HR department, as well as a legal department to help them not falling victim to courts.

 

[chrisc]

He was not a "victim" of the court
What he did was illegal. Ignorance of the law is no excuse
One phone call to a labour lawyer would have clarified the matter
The first sentence of your reply reveals your poor attitude

 

[rvZA]

He was not a "victim" of the court
What he did was illegal. Ignorance of the law is no excuse
One phone call to a labour lawyer would have clarified the matter
The first sentence of your reply reveals your poor attitude

And yet despite all this rambling, I am still happy with my decision. There are countries where you can start up and run a proper business without fearing crazy laws, crazy governments and crazy courts.

 

[ForceFate]

Firstly, I would not be dumb enough to start a business locally and create workplaces in this country. The government and laws are solidly against the business or any person wanting to start a business. That being said, I pretty much agree with the statements above. These people wanted to do business in SA. They disagreed with me and done what I never would have done in the first place. They needed to invest in an HR department, as well as a legal department to help them not falling victim to courts.

HR department is good enough in this regard. If the company lands in court regularly, then the HR department isn't doing their job.

 

[ForceFate]

And yet despite all this rambling, I am still happy with my decision. There are countries where you can start up and run a proper business without fearing crazy laws, crazy governments and crazy courts.

Examples? Plural.

 

[Quicks]

Firstly, I would not be dumb enough to start a business locally and create workplaces in this country. The government and laws are solidly against the business or any person wanting to start a business. That being said, I pretty much agree with the statements above. These people wanted to do business in SA. They disagreed with me and done what I never would have done in the first place. They needed to invest in an HR department, as well as a legal department to help them not falling victim to courts.

Special place Africa we are, Elon musk can walk in and tell executives to pack your bags and F-off. But here you have unions and labour law pissing all over things. They organize strikes and burn down your business...

 

[TheChamp]

And yet despite all this rambling, I am still happy with my decision. There are countries where you can start up and run a proper business without fearing crazy laws, crazy governments and crazy courts.

And you also wouldn't dare do what this Gaduik guy did in those countries.

 

[Pak Fa Fui]

And you also wouldn't dare do what this Gaduik guy did in those countries.

R800k is most likely the money owed to her, in the US it would be R8 million

 

[ForceFate]

Special place Africa we are, Elon musk can walk in and tell executives to pack your bags and F-off. But here you have unions and labour law pissing all over things. They organize strikes and burn down your business...

Execs can be fired at will, but they can take you to court for compensation. Even the execs fired by twitter will be paid.

Elon Musk to Twitter executives: You’re fired, but about that $122 million severance...

Musk’s first act as CEO has been to fire three Twitter execs. But will he pay their hefty severance packages?

fortune.com

Now, imagine this is your wife being fired for being pregnant.

 

[3WA]

Can’t they pay her in dop? Isn’t that how it’s done in the Winelands?

 

[Pak Fa Fui]

Can’t they pay her in dop? Isn’t that how it’s done in the Winelands?

Im sure dop was what got her in this position in the first place, she didnt even have a boyfriend

 

[3WA]

Im sure dop was what got her in this position in the first place, she didnt even have a boyfriend

My thoughts exactly. Artificial insemination via the bottle.

 

[rietrot]

The amount seemed a bit excessive, but maybe not considering her position