Question NW855 to the Minister of Employment and Labour

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26 March 2021 - NW855

Profile picture: Cardo, Dr MJ

Cardo, Dr MJ to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour

With reference to his department’s latest Estimates of National Expenditure (details furnished), (a) why does the estimated number of personnel exceed the number of 2987 funded posts within the department in every single fiscal year?

Reply:

In terms of the enabling Legislation of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), the Compensation Fund (CF) and Supported Employment Enterprises (SEE), the Minister of Labour (now Employment and Labour) appoints a Commissioner and support staff to perform the functions of the Funds and seconds such to the Funds.

As a result of this, it is the Department that is the registered employer and all appointments are made in line with the Public Service Act and accompanying Regulations. The Department therefore performs all payroll functions for the Department, the UIF, CF and SEE as one employer.

In terms of Compensation of Employees (CoE or payroll), the allocation of expenditure is governed by an Organisational Development (OD) exercise determining the functions and the level of such functions performed by positions contained in the approved establishment. This is commonly referred to as the “Approved Percentage Split”. This information is captured against positions on the establishment and is monitored and controlled by the Human Resource Management units within the Department as well as the UIF, CF and SEE.

The establishment is confirmed as being correct at regular intervals as it is this establishment which determines the value of CoE that is expensed against the Vote or alternatively recovered from the respective Fund.

As a result of this symbiotic relationship, the Department reflects an approved establishment of 9,990 on PERSAL however, only expenditure in respect of 2987 positions are expensed against the CoE allocations reflected in the Estimates of National Expenditure, and not 9,990 positions as per the approved establishment.

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