Except for domestic workers or employees who work less than 24 hours a month, when the job starts, the employer must give the employee written particulars about the job, including:

• A description of the job
• The hours that the employee will be expected to work
• Ordinary and overtime rates of payment, including payment in kind and its value
• Any deductions to be made
• How much leave the employee will get
• The notice period

This document is like a contract of employment, but the employee doesn’t have to sign it. If an employee can’t read, the particulars must be explained in a language the employee understands. An employer who employs fewer than 5 employees does not have to provide the above details.

The BCEA says an employer must hand the employee his or her wages with certain details on a payslip, including:

• The period for which the employee is being paid
• The number of overtime hours worked
• The number of hours worked on a sunday or public holiday
• The wages due to the employee (both normal and overtime)
• The amount and reason for any deductions made for tax, pension, uif and so on
• The actual amount paid

The BCEA says the employers must keep the following records:

• The time worked by each employee
• The wages paid to each employee