Want your business to always be one step ahead?

Must we pay our employees for a public holiday that falls on a Saturday?

Must we pay our employees for the public holiday on 1 January 2011, as it falls on a Saturday and our employees didn’t work on this day?

Must we cover these sub-contractors in terms of Workman’s Compensation?

Our company has secured a large contract and will have to make use of sub-contractors to handle some of the work until it is completed.

How do we cover them with the Workman’s Compensation Commissioner for IOD?

Can I stop paying salary advances?

I know that total deductions can’t exceed 25% of an employee’s basic salary. A couple of my employees ask for salary advances every month, and this is an administrative nightmare.  Can I put policies and procedures in place to stop this?  Am I allowed to do so?  What does the law state on advances on salaries and is there a limit to it?

What is the maximum number of hours employees can work a week?

What the maximum number of hours per week that our employees can work, including overtime?

If they work 40 hours per week and are required to work five hours overtime, must we pay the five hours at time and a half?

If they work overtime on a Saturday, does the rate change to double time after a specific number of consecutive hours?

If an employee works from 07h30 to 17h00 and is entitled to a one-hour lunch break, is this classified as 8.5 or 9.5 hours work per day?

Can we add this clause to our sick leave policy?

Our Company's policy regarding sick leave is 30 days per 36 months. However, we’ve found some employees abuse their sick leave and take one day off in the middle of a week (when we don't require a sick note) on a regular basis, i.e. monthly.

Can we require a medical certificate if the employee takes a second day's sick leave in an eight-week cycle, irrespective of what day it’s taken? And state that the day’s leave will be unpaid if the employee doesn’t produce a medical certificate?

How do I register staff for an income tax reference number?

Last year, SARS told us it would set up a system to allow employers to register employees (or check whether or not employees already have an income tax reference number). But I haven’t heard anything about this. How do I register my staff?

When does my buddy become liable for the CGT on the sale of his investment property?

My colleague is selling his investment property and he needs to know on which date he’s liable for the capital gains tax (CGT). On the registration date of the property in the buyer's name? Or on the date when  he receives the actual sale price amount in his account from the lawyer/buyer?

Vat refund late – can we still nail SARS for interest?

SARS should have refunded an amount to us on 22 October 2010 but only paid on 25 November 2010 – it had the incorrect banking details for our business. No interest was added onto the payment even though it was late. Can I push for the interest? Or is SARS off the hook because of the error?