While there has been no formal communication from the Department of Employment and Labour (DOL) at this stage, we have proactively engaged with the DOL and received confirmation of the commencement date of the Employment Equity Amendment Act being the 1st of January 2025.
Once we receive the official implementation guidelines and formal communication on how to practically apply the amendments, rest assured that our team will guide you through each step of this transition. In the interim, please note that all designated employers are still required to submit their Employment Equity (EE) reports for the 2024 reporting period as per existing regulations.
Key Changes and Implications for Employers:
Redefined “Designated Employer”:
Companies with fewer than 50 employees will no longer be classified as designated employers and will not need to comply with Chapter 3 (Affirmative Action Measures). However, they must confirm their status by demonstrating their employee count and must still maintain compliance with Chapter 2, which focuses on promoting equal opportunities and eliminating unfair discrimination.
Five-Year Sectoral Targets:
Targets apply to Top Management, Senior Management, Middle Management/Professionally Qualified, Junior Management/Skills Technical, and people with disabilities. Employers can still set targets for Semi-Skilled and Unskilled levels.
Certification of Compliance:
Designated employers must obtain a compliance certificate to conduct business with the state, as stipulated in the amendments.
Should there be changes to your compliance obligations based on your designated status, we will be on hand to clarify the next steps once we receive further details from our engagements with the DOL.
Our priority is to support you in navigating these important developments with confidence. Contact a Labournet Employment Equity specialist.
For more information on the above topic, please contact LabourNet Eastern Cape at Regional Support: 087 292 5808. Contact: Phikolomzi Malamlela (060 6428 659) at pmalamlela@labournet.com or Robert Niemand (082 824 7359) at robertn@labournet.com