Acert Africa | Assurance South Africa

	The Code	What it means
1	Employment is freely chosen	There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour. Workers are not required to lodge ‘deposits’, or their identity papers with their employer. Workers are free to leave their employment after reasonable notice.

2	Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining	Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.
		The employer must adopt an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities. Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace. Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer should facilitate, and not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

3	Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining	Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively. The employer must adopt an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities. Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace. Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer should facilitate, and not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

4	Child labour shall not be used	There shall be no new recruitment of child labour. Companies shall develop or participate in/contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found performing child labour to enable him or her to attend and remain in quality education until they are no longer a child. Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.

5	Living wages are paid	Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income. Workers shall be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions with respect to wages before they enter employment and about their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the express permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.

6	Working hours are not excessive	Working hours comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection. Workers shall not on a regular basis be required to work in excess of 48 hours per week and shall be provided with at least one day off for every seven day period on average. Overtime shall be voluntary, shall not exceed 12 hours per week, shall not be demanded on a regular basis and shall always be compensated at a premium rate.

7	No discrimination is practised	There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
8	Regular employment is provided	To every extent possible, work performed must be on the basis of a recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.
		Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations shall not be avoided through the use of labour-only contraction, sub contracting, or home working arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart or provide regular employment, nor shall any such obligation be avoided through the excessive use of fixed term contracts of employment.
9	No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed	Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited.