COVID-19 has disrupted the employment relationship to such a degree that further measures need to be evaluated. We look at a case study that shows why you need a new employment solution.
Express Employment Professionals offers high-quality services that are perfectly matched to your requirements, including screening and evaluation. Our services may be more critical than ever before if we take into account the current employment difficulties many companies are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We take a look at a case study as reported by the Daily Maverick on the struggles and outcomes of a man who continued to work onsite at a national meat supplier despite being COVID-19-positive and in defiance of health and safety guidelines.
Employment Ethics Surrounding The Case In Question
It is important to note the salient facts of this case in order to understand how quickly and easily companies can be exposed to potentially harrowing liabilities and risks to their employees as a result of COVID-19.
In this scenario, an assistant butcher at a large manufacturing company, had been travelling with another colleague in their private vehicle. The colleague fell ill and was hospitalised with COVID-19 at which point the assistant butcher, who had also started to feel unwell, went for testing. He stayed off work for two days and then returned to work despite receiving a positive test result. Further facts include:
- The employee was part of the internal Coronavirus Site Committee
- He returned to work ignoring all social distancing protocol (maskless, hugging other employees, failure to self-isolate)
A dismissal was sanctioned for gross misconduct which was challenged by the CCMA and then later overturned by a judge in the Labour Court stating that, “The facts of this case are, indeed, extraordinary. They are indicative of the need for more to be done at both the workplace and in our communities, ensuring that employers, employees and the general populace are sensitised to the realities of this pandemic; and to further reinforce the obligations of both employers and employees in the face of it or in the event of an exposure.”
At Express Employment Professionals, we understand the evolving needs of our clients. Reliable staff that is well versed in company protocols can be assigned as either a temporary or permanent solution. Get in touch with us today to find out more.
