Vacancies to be registered?

[duncan drennan]

Looks like we are in for another potential round of business crippling legislation, with the DoL wanting to create a central database of vacancies.

People with skills were not assisting those who were struggling, causing skills-development regulations to be introduced, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said on Thursday.

Speaking at the national skills conference, he said the Department of Labour was currently developing regulations that would make it compulsory for employers to register all vacancies and placements with the department.

Mdladlana said: "Such a registration process by employers would enable the department to enhance an employment-services system that would match job seekers to job opportunities, skills development opportunities and social insurance.

"This intervention would also enable the government to systematically deal with the scarce skills issue, and the gaps of the South African workforce would also be available in one central database."

Read the full article on M&G Online

Is there a possibility that this could be a good thing?

Anyone in the government ever think that all the legislation has not yet helped them to achieve their goals? Maybe reducing regulation would improve all the issues they are concerned about.

[Dave A]

Introduction of the term "social insurance" is interesting.

I've got the AgriSETA AGM coming up next week, and day two is apparently going to be about new measures for next year. So we'll see what's in the pipeline.

[Dave A]

I'm reading more on this now.

Setas (Skills Education Training Authorities) were established to assist in enhancing workplace skills but the department said that the Setas in place had not accomplished what they were intended do.

Mdladlana said: "It has become increasingly clear that the social pact agreed between the government, business and labour was either too premature or simply not feasible.
full story from M&G here

I know this happened a little while ago, but let's get something straight. The way the skills development strategy has been implemented is the way DoL created it - not business. We've been obliged to navigate our way through the sorry mess as best we can. Don't try hanging its failure on business. We've been telling them that its inefficient and ineffective ever since we figured out what the heck the system was in the first place.

This is not business's system. DoL has been prescriptive and has ignored business's suggestions (pleas) for change for years. When the Minister can finally get off his high horse, take advantage of the business acumen within such easy grasp, and start applying that knowledge to the challenge instead of all this adversarial posturing, he might end up with a training system and environment that will work with business and will be effective.

[Debbiedle]

I cannot see this happening, any employment agency out there will tell you how labour intensive a job this is. Gov simply don't have the manpower. Don't even talk about delistings when filled and the cost of being sued when you recommend someone who ends up destroying your business through incompetency or theft or malice......

[SilverNodashi]

I really can't see the point behind this.
Let's face it, why should a company / business owner have to be responsible to train / coach new personell because the government suddently decided that candidate X should work for company Y. What will they base their decisions on? And how would they know what your company really needs in terms of personel experience & qualification?

[Chatmaster]

My opinion on these issues are straight forward and simple. Government should stick to government and leave business alone. They do not understand business and most of the time they do not even understand government.

This kind of legislation certainly will make me think twice about increasing the size of my business, not to mention employing people. If I am looking for someone, I am interested in only one thing. Can this person do the job! A further important point would be, is this person the best I can get for the salary I pay. Race has never played a role in my book.

When will government realize, that the only people with racist views in this country are the government leaders and some poor souls that haven't moved on. The majority of South Africans including businesses has moved on a long time ago.

[Dave A]

What will they base their decisions on?

Reading that again this afternoon, that is a really good question! Clearly this would involve something other than the needs of the business, otherwise why interfere in the first place? Left to its own devices, that would be the only criteria a business would apply.

[Dave A]

I got the opportunity to question a representative from DoL on the registration of vacancies issue. Essentially there are two objectives:

• to collect statistics
• to enable work seekers to identify work vacancies.

The statistics will be used in the main to identify scarce and critical skills shortages.

The entire initiative will be internet based. An employer will need to register a vacancy within 5 days of that vacancy being identified. Work seekers will be able to scan the database and make application for the position to the employer. The employer will be making the selection decisions.

Arguably, the only loser here that I can see will be newspapers etc. that advertise vacancies.

[duncan drennan]

Arguably, the only loser here that I can see will be newspapers etc. that advertise vacancies.

I suspect there may be a HUGE kickback against this from the recruitment agency businesses.

[Graeme]

An anecdote for you. Back in about 1996 the Durban Fire Dept advertised a few vacancies for Firemen. Over 5000 applications were received. The way the law was then, about 4985 applicants had to be informed, by post, that their applications were unsuccessful. They had to take on temporary staff to do this.

Does the law still require unsuccessful applicants to be informed by post?

Think of a small business having to face that.