Despite having a team and other benefits, a person rendering services to a company through a labour broker is not an employee.
This is according to the Labour Appeal Court in Durban, which overturned an earlier ruling that reinstated Douglas Paul Powell at Sun International Management Limited, trading as the Wild Coast Sun. Sun International had appealed the Labour Court's dismissal of its bid to review an arbitration award that found Powell to be an employee, ruling that he was unfairly dismissed.
The dispute traces back to an employment memo dated 2 January 2019, in which Sun International informed Powell that his "working arrangement" would end on 31 January 2019, signalling what he interpreted to be a dismissal. However, Sun International maintained that Powell had not been an employee since his resignation in October 2015, when he transitioned to working through a labour broker. This position initiated a contentious battle regarding the nature of Powell's engagement with Sun International and whether he should be considered an employee or an independent contractor.
Critical employment status test
In a summary of the case, the Labour Appeal Court, led by Acting Judge A Mooki, highlighted several critical points. Powell had previously worked with Sun International for many years, formally employed until his resignation in 2015. Despite this, he continued to provide similar services through the labour broker BLU, raising questions about his employment status as the boundaries between contractor and employee blurred.
The crux of the appeal revolved around the Labour Court's conclusion that Powell was indeed an employee because he had the characteristics of one, such as working hours, having subordinates, and receiving benefits traditionally associated with employment. However, the Labour Appeal Court disagreed, stating there was insufficient evidence to classify Powell as an employee on 31 January 2019. The court specifically noted that he was compensated through invoices rather than payslips, a practice consistent with that of independent contractors.
"The method of payment is a significant indicator of the true nature of the working relationship," stated Acting Judge Mooki in the judgment. "When an individual submits invoices for services rendered rather than receiving regular salary payments, this strongly suggests an independent contractor arrangement."
Jurisdictional questions
Critically, the court found that the arbitration had not established the necessary grounds for the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to assert jurisdiction over the dispute, resulting in the question of whether Powell had indeed been unfairly dismissed being left unresolved. Sun International's argument was that the nature of his payment and lack of a formal employment contract indicated his status as an independent contractor. The court concluded that the present facts supported this classification.
In its ruling, the Labour Appeal Court ordered that the arbitration award in favour of Powell be set aside, thus upholding Sun International's appeal.
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