⚖️ What Are Your Rights During a Department of Labour Compliance Blitz?

17 Aug 2025
 When the Department of Labour conducts a surprise inspection, it can feel like a raid. But employers have rights - and knowing them can make all the difference. 
🕵️ Do Inspectors Need to Give Notice?

  • No formal notice is required for inspections under labour law. Inspectors may arrive unannounced.
  • However, employers can request identification and confirmation of the inspector’s mandate.
  • You’re entitled to ask for a written list of what’s being inspected (e.g., BCEA, OHSA, UIF).

🛠️ Do Employers Get a Chance to Fix Issues?

  • Yes. Most findings result in a compliance order, not immediate penalties.
  • Employers are usually given 14 days to correct non-compliance before further action is taken.
  • You can appeal or request an extension if the correction requires more time or resources.

🚨 What Can Lead to Arrest?
Arrest is rare and reserved for serious or willful violations.
Arrest is rare and reserved for serious or willful violations.
🧾 What Should You Keep Ready?

  • Contracts and payslips for all employees
  • UIF registration and payment proof
  • Health and safety file (especially for construction or industrial sites)
  • Leave records and working hours logs

🧘‍♀️ Staying Calm and Cooperative

Inspectors are not your enemy. A respectful, transparent approach can turn a blitz into a learning moment. If you’re unsure about a finding, ask for clarification and document everything.

More Posts
openHR free payroll and HR
June 2025 EMP201/PAYE Return Due Date

EMP201/PAYE Return Submission & Payment Deadline for June 2025 The deadline to submit and pay your EMP201/PAYE return for June 2025 is Monday, the 7th of July 2025. This aligns with SARS’s standard rule: the due date is the 7th of the following month—unless that day falls on a weekend or public holiday, in which case it rolls to the last business day before the 7th. To avoid any penalties or interest (which can include a 10% late payment penalty and additional monthly interest charges), be sure to file and pay on time. read more

June 19, 2025

openHR free payroll and HR
⚖️ Why openHR is free - and why dignity shouldn’t depend on your budget

When I was in Grade 2, I didn’t have propelling crayons. Not because I didn’t want them, but because we couldn’t afford them. My teacher made sure I felt that difference - publicly, repeatedly, and cruelly. She didn’t just mark my work. She marked me. That experience stayed with me. Not as bitterness, but as a blueprint for what not to do. read more

August 15, 2025

Generated for free using openHR™ HR and Payroll