PRETORIA - The employment and labour department will resume its services, "although at a minimal level", when South Africa moves to coronavirus (Covid-19) level 3 lockdown from Monday, June 1.
"Therefore, our offices will be open to the public on 8 June 2020," director general Thobile Lamati said in a statement
This would be after the department had completed its back to work plan and activities, including deep cleaning and disinfecting office buildings around the country according to approved guidelines, office space realignment for open offices, procurement of personal protective equipment, screening equipment and sanitisers, the establishment of the crisis management team (CMT), and the appointment of a dedicated Covid-19 compliance officer who would coordinate and work with those who would be appointed at provincial level, he said.
“To mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, only a third of the department’s officials will report at their respective workplaces and we have made provisions for those who are over 60 and those who have underlying conditions as determined by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and are at a risk of developing severe illness from Covid-19 to work from home,” Lamati said.
The department had made arrangements for most officials to work from home in the meantime, and they would be "reintroduced to the system as time goes on and the easing of restrictions is experienced".
As for the UIF, half of the officials would work from home and the other half at their respective offices. "On the other hand, the CF [Compensation Fund] has made provisions for half of the officials to resume their duties, with only five percent (49) being at their offices and 45 percent (429) working from home," he said.
The CF’s staff complement of 50 percent working in the initial phase would be able to respond to the minimum business continuity objective (MBCO) - to "continue and fulfil 50 percent of claims and employer services".
There would be a need for "swift adaptation by both managers and officials to working remotely and ensuring that the common goal of meeting the department’s set targets continues, despite this being a new way of doing things", Lamati said.