Labour Laws and socio-economic

trends
David Diack

Affirmative Action:

1. Case study 1
1. Discriminatory, people of all ages are able to work with computers.
2. Not discriminatory, for certain areas, a job is difficult unless one knows the
local language
3. Discriminatory, anybody should be able to dance
4. Not discriminatory, for most jobs the employer is allowed to decide what
qualifications one needs
5. Discriminatory, an employer cannot turn down applicants who are too old
6. Not discriminatory, it is perfectly legitimate for a job to require experience
beforehand
7. Having a family should not hinder someones job opportunities, this is
discriminatory.
8. This is discriminatory, as it is unfair to ask that someone must be infected with
a fatal disease in order to get the job.

2. Case Study 2
1. Appropriate.
2. Appropriate
3. Inappropriate, a foreign citizen should have the same opportunities as a local
citizen.
4. This is inappropriate, no job should require to know such personal information.
5. This is appropriate. Many jobs take place in far away locations, and will require
that the applicant lives nearby.
6. This is appropriate. It is right for the employers to know if their employee has
got a criminal record.
7. This is inappropriate.
8. This is appropriate, employers need to know when their workers are going on
holiday.
9. this is appropriate, the job might be in a mostly Xhosa area.
10. This is inappropriate, no employer needs to know whether their employee
has aids or not.
11. Inappropriate. Employers should not be aiming to have personal relations
with their employees.
12. This is appropriate, and will help when it comes to negotiating a salary.

3. Advantages/Disadvantages of AA

Previously disadvantaged people get

opportunities
Promotes diversity
Boosts economy
Certain people can get jobs without working
for a degree
Open up new career paths for people

Provides an excuse for racism

Unqualified people are often employed
Reverse discrimination
Certain people do not get jobs after
working hard for a degree
Can cause unemployment

4.
1. Advantages/Disadvantages of having a union at a workplace:

A
Makes business look good
Gives workers peace of mind

D
Can cause employees to strike more
often
Companies end up paying workers
more

2. Essential services:

National Defence Force Needed at all times in case of a war

Police Service Needed 24/7 for keeping crime under control.
Fire brigade They are needed to be on call at all times to prevent homes
from burning
Ambulance drivers Are needed in emergencies at all times, when lives
are at risk
Nurses They tend to sick and dying people

3.
a) This is lawful
b) This is unlawful
c) This is unlawful
d) This is lawful
e) This is unlawful

f) This is lawful

5. Sexual harassment

1. This is sexual harassment, female or even other male co workers may feel
ashamed about the sexual content.
2. This is harassment, because it is unprofessional and sexual relations between
co workers is not allowed.
3. Yes, this will make someone feel uncomfortable.
4. Yes, many females will not see this as a joke and will be offended.
5. This is harassment because not everyone wants to look at such images, and
will make women feel uncomfortable.
6. This is unprofessional because relationships between co workers is not
allowed.
7. This is sexual harassment because pornographic content makes people
uneasy and is unprofessional.

6. Probation.

Probation is a status effect applied to employees who are new to the job, or have
committed an offence, under which an employer can fire an employee for not
abiding by the rules.
When a employee is under probation, it usually means that he/she will be
watched very closely, which is why probation is great for new employees, as it
teaches them to abide by the rules, and allowed employers to watch them and if
they do something wrong they can be fired with ease, without trade unions
objecting.