ARTICLE · 05 MAY 2022

Work And Whatsapp:

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We all loved WhatsApp when it first arrived; convenient and cheap messaging was here and it was here to stay.

South AfricaEmployment and HR

Kavita Kooverjee

We all loved WhatsApp when it first arrived; convenient and cheap messaging was here and it was here to stay.

But then employers started using it, and all of a sudden, we were dealing with unread messages, muting groups and fearing a WhatsApp message from a particular work colleague.

So do you as an employee or do you as an employer need to be careful with how you use WhatsApp? Simply put, yes!

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997, as amended (“BCEA”)

The BCEA states that an employee may not work longer than 45 hours a week. And that an employee is entitled to a daily rest period of 12 consecutive hours and a weekly rest period of 36 hours, which include Sunday.

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