OUR LEADERS
WORK HOURS
CLOCKING/TIME KEEPING PROCEDURES
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) stipulates that the employer must record the working hours of all employees. All employees are thus required to either complete an attendance register or register on the company’s clocking system.
CLOCKING SYSTEM
The employee’s personal details will be entered into the clocking database on the company’s computer network. Their fingerprints will, thereafter, be manually enrolled onto the Clocking system by a HR employee and their templates will be sent to the relevant access points. It is imperative that all employees’ clock in and out with the start and end of shift / working day, including lunch times. Also important to note is that shift workers may not leave their shift or clock out before the shift officially ends.
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If you forget to clock in / out, please inform your direct Supervisor / Manager immediately.
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If you are unable to scan your fingerprint(s) please contact the payroll administrator to re-load you on the clocking system.
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Should you experience any problems with the system, inform your Supervisor / Manager of the problem.
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A Supervisor / Manager must then inform the payroll administrators immediately.
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If you failed to follow the above steps, you will not be renumerated for that day / shift.
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Employee hours are calculated by means of a time sheet summary reconciled daily. This summary is managed, and the necessary adjustments are made in the event of staff or shift changes. The summary accurately captures and details an individual’s clocking.
It is, therefore, in the best interest of the employee, should he/she wish to ensure an accurate wage calculation, to diligently record his/her hours of work at the start and end of a workday / shift. Please do not leave your shift before the shift time ends, in other words, do not leave your shift (e.g., 20 minutes before the end of the official shift time).
LEAVE
PAID ANNUAL LEAVE BENEFIT
5-day employees receive fifteen (15) days per annum (1.25 days per month)
6-day employees receive eighteen (18) days per annum (1.5 days per month)
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Annual Leave – must be submitted to your Supervisor / Manager at least two (2) weeks in advance.
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You are responsible to ensure that your leave was submitted, and a leave form was signed.
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If your leave application was not submitted to your Supervisor /Manager and if your Supervisor / Manager did not approve your request, you are not allowed to go on leave.
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This can be seen as absence without leave (AWOL) and could cost you your job.
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Always remember to keep a few days as balance for the December (Festive Season) shut down period.
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This is compulsory leave, and your annual leave will be used for the days off during this time.
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A Block Leave system is used to manage leave applications and to ensure that operations run smoothly.
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The HR Officers manage this system together with Supervisors / Managers.
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Consultations are held with the employees at the start of the year to discuss their choice of leave dates.
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Because of the nature of our business, production employees are allowed two (2) Ad Hoc / Emergency leave days outside of the Block Leave period and only if they have sufficient leave days available.
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Annual leave can be used in minimum increments of one half-day (0.50).
UNPAID LEAVE
Full-time employees who must take leave and do not have leave days available (sick or annual) must take leave without pay.
The option for Unpaid leave can be used in minimum increments of one half-day (0.50). In exceptional incidents where an employee’s Annual or Sick leave is depleted, Unpaid leave must be indicated on the Leave form with approval from the Supervisor / Manager. Requests will be reviewed based on several factors, including operational requirements and staff availability.
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Unpaid leave may not be granted concurrent with a period of notice of termination of the contract of employment.
SICK LEAVE BENEFITS
Montego Pet Nutrition provides paid sick leave benefits to all eligible employees for periods of temporary absence due to illnesses or injuries.
During the first six (6) months of employment, an employee is entitled to one day's paid sick leave for every twenty-six (26) days worked. When the six (6) month period ends, the balance will be added to the three (3) year period.
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5-day employees = thirty (30) days over a period of three (3) years
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6-day employees = thirty-six (36) days over a period of three (3) years
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The three (3) year sick leave cycle is calculated from the day you start working at the company – not from the beginning to the end of the year.
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You are obliged to inform your Supervisor / Manager within two (2) hours of starting your shift that you are sick and will not be able to report for duty.
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After two (2) consecutive days of absence or if you have been off sick on more than two (2) occasions in an eight (8) week period you must hand in a sick note from a registered medical practitioner.
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If a sick note is not received and sick leave was not submitted to your Supervisor / Manager, you will not be paid for these days.
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If your sick leave balance is depleted, you can either utilise your annual leave in exceptional incidents or unpaid leave will be captured.
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Sick leave can be used in minimum increments of one half-day (0.50).
FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY LEAVE
Compassionate leave, or “Family Responsibility Leave”, as per the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, is leave granted to provide for paid time-off during a family crisis.
Employees employed for longer than four (4) continuous months and for at least four (4) days a week are entitled to Compassionate leave, or “Family Responsibility Leave. All employees qualify for this leave benefit. You will receive three (3) days paid Family Leave annually, calculated on the date you started working for the company.
Family Responsibility leave can be used in minimum increments of one half-day (0.50).
This leave can be utilised for paid time-off during a family crisis.
Only applicable to your immediate family:
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Employee’s spouse or life partner
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Parent / Adoptive parent
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Grandparent / Grandchild
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Child / Adoptive child
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Sibling = Brother / Sister
Only to be used:
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When the employee’s child is sick
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In the event of death of the employee’s immediate family
Paternity or Adoptive leave – ten (10) Days Unpaid leave
To be used when a child is born or when a baby is adopted.
MATERNITY LEAVE
Maternity Leave of four (4) months is granted to female employees for birth and confinement, in accordance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, and in terms of the Montego Pet Nutrition’s policies and procedures, which makes allowance for:
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Employees with less than a completed year service: four (4) months’ maternity leave without pay.
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Employees with between one (1) and two (2) years’ service: four (4) months’ maternity leave with fifty percent (50%) base pay rate.
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Employees in employ for more than two (2) years: four (4) months’ maternity leave with full base pay rate.
An employee may commence maternity leave -
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Four (4) weeks before the expected date of birth, unless otherwise agreed; or
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On a date from which a medical practitioner or a midwife certifies that it is necessary for the employee’s health or that of her unborn child.
No employee may work for six (6) weeks after the birth of her child, unless a medical practitioner or midwife certifies that she is fit to do so. The employee must complete a leave form for Maternity Leave stating the date on which the employee intends to commence maternity leave and when they return to work.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Montego Pet Nutrition will grant holiday time off to all employees on South Africa’s Public Holidays.
Given that you are required to work as prescribed by operational requirements, you may be required to work on a statutory public holiday, in which instance you will be paid double (x2) time for the number of hours the employee worked on that day.
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Double time means you are paid 1 x more your hourly rate for hours worked on a scheduled working day, therefor receiving your pay for the day/shift, and receiving an additional amount for actual hours worked on the public holiday. If it is not a scheduled working day you will receive two times (x2) your hourly rate for actual hours worked. Please note that there is a salary threshold applicable, please discuss this with your HR Representative.
Public Holidays are as follows:
January - New Year’s Day
March - Human Rights Day
April - Good Friday
April - Family Day
April - Freedom Day
May - Worker’s Day
June - Youth Day
August - National Women’s Day
September - Heritage Day
December - Day of Reconciliation
December - Christmas Day
December - Day of Goodwill