2015
LABOUR AMENDMENT
(i) ro the works council established for the undertaking; or
(ii) if there is no works council established for the undertaking
or if a majority of the employees concerned agree to such
a course, to the employment council established for the
undertaking or industry; or
(iii) if there is no works council or employment council for the
undertaking concerned, to the Retrenchment Board, and in
such event any reference in this section to the performance
offunctions by a works council or employment council shall
be construed as a reference to the Retrenchment Board or
a person appointed by the Board to perform such functions
on its behalf;
and
(b) provide the works council. employment council or the
Retrenchment Board, as the case may be, with details of
every employee whom the employer wishes to retrench and
of the reasons for the proposed retrenchment; and
(c) send a copy of the notice to the Retrenchment Board.
(2) Unless better terms are agreed between the employer and
employees concerned or their representatives, a package (hereinafter
called "the minimum retrenchment package") of not less than one month's
salary or wages for every two years of service as an employee (or the
equivalent lesser proportion of one month's salary or wages for a lesser
period of service) shall be paid by the employer as compensation for
loss of employment (whether the loss of employment is occasioned by
retrenchment or by virtue of termination of employment pursuantto section
l2(4a)(a), (b) or (c)), no later than date when the notice of termination of
employment takes effect.
(3) Where an employer aHeges financial incapacity and consequent
inability to pay the minimum retrenchment package timeously or at ail,
the employer shaH apply in writing to be exempted from paying the full
minimum retrenchment package or any part of it to-
(a) the employment council established for the undertaking or
industry; or
(b) if there is no employment council for the undertaking
concerned. to the Retrenchment Board:
which shaH respond to the request within fourteen days of receiving the
notice (failing which response the application is deemed to have been
granted).
( 4) In consideiing its response to a request for exemption in terms
of subsection (3) the employment council or Retrenchment Board-
(a) shall, where the employer alleges complete inability to pay
the minimum retrenchment package. be entitled to demand
and receive such proof as it considers requisite to satisfy
itself that the employer is so unable, and if so unable on
the date when the notice of termination of employment
takes effect, may propose to the employer a scheme to pay
the minimum retrenchment package by instalments over a
period of time:
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No.5