Legal updates and opinions
Authors
News / News
The Protected Disclosures Amendment Act, No 5 of 2017
On 31 July 2017 the President of the Republic of South Africa assented to the Protected Disclosures Amendment Act 5 of 2017 (“Amendment Act”). The Amendment Act commenced on 2 August 2017.
The Amendment Act extends the application of the Act to any person who works or worked for the State or another person or who in any manner assists or assisted in carrying on or conducting the business of an employer or client as an independent contractor, consultant, agent or person rendering services to a client while being employed by a temporary employment service; to regulate joint liability of employers and their clients; to introduce a duty to inform employees or workers who have disclosed information regarding unlawful or irregular conduct; to provide for immunity against civil and criminal liability flowing from a disclosure of information which shows or tends to show that a criminal offence has been committed, is being committed or is reasonably likely to be committed; to create an offence for the disclosure of false information; and to provide for matters connected therewith.
For example; the amendment provides for the insertions of a new section which provides as follows:
(3A) Where an employer, under the express or implied authority or with the knowledge of a client, subjects an employee or a worker to an occupational detriment, both the employer and client are jointly and severally liable.
Therefore, if a temporary employer service provider (i.e. employer) subjects an employee to disciplinary action (i.e. an occupation detriment) then both the employer and the TES client will be jointly and severally liable.
Employers would be well advised to review their service level agreements with their TES’s to ensure the TES indemnifies the client (employer) against the abovementioned liability.
Should you require any further information regarding the provisions of Amendment Act, and their impact in the context of employment relations, please do not hesitate to contact us.
If you would like to learn more about Labour & Employment please visit our practice area page.
Latest News
Occupational health and safety in the COVID-19 workplace
By Jacques van Wyk, Director and Bradley Workman-Davies, Director A directive has recently been issued by the Department of Employment [...]
Moving towards the end of the lockdown – keeping it consistent and clear
by Bradley Workman-Davies, Director The last big news from Government in relation to the National Lockdown, as outlined in the [...]
Do you have temporary market power? The Competition Commission’s first finding of excessive pricing under the COVID-19 emergency regulations
by Paul Cleland, Director The Competition Commission has, by way of a settlement agreement, concluded its first investigation into excessive [...]
Joint ventures – once competition law’s ugly sister, now beloved Cinderella?
by Ahmore Burger-Smidt, Director and Head of the Data Privacy practice and Graeme Wickins, Director As the global economy is [...]
The protection of privacy and personal information. How much personal information will be enough?
One Covid-19. So many tracing apps to locate individuals. "Your recently announced project to respond to COVID–19 by tracking when [...]
Actions that may be taken to address some of the risks arising from the COVID-19 crisis in connection with M&A transactions
by Nozipho Bhengu, Director Introduction 1.1 On the 24th of March 2020, the President of the Republic of South Africa [...]
