South Africa’s laws on employment termination, dismissal, and retrenchment are among the most intricate and tightly regulated in the world. These laws impose strict procedural and substantive obligations on employers and as a result, over 70% of employers have faced disputes or litigation arising from procedural missteps in dismissals, retrenchments, or terminations.
This certified program is designed to equip HR leaders and legal advisors with advanced, practical knowledge to manage employment terminations lawfully and confidently. You will explore key areas such as fair dismissal procedures, retrenchment requirements, severance obligations, and legal risks in constructive dismissal cases. This program will also explore the impact of collective bargaining agreements, union consultation requirements, and evolving interpretations from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and Labour Courts.
Through real-world case studies, you will gain strategies to reduce legal exposure, ensure compliance, and handle both individual and collective terminations effectively. This program will show you how to draft compliant dismissal and retrenchment procedures, manage risks during misconduct investigations, and handle disputes arising from termination.
Additionally, you will also delve into high-risk areas such as protected disclosures, whistleblower protections, and voluntary separation agreements, helping you structure defensible exit strategies that align with statutory and constitutional mandates. You will also learn how to structure employment policies that align with South African employment law and proactively mitigate litigation exposure in a unionized or non-unionized settings.
Upon completing the program, you will attain the Certification in South Africa Employment Termination and Retrenchment Law. This certification will enhance your professional credentials, validate your expertise in navigating South Africa’s complex labour legislation, and validate your ability to implement legally sound and effective termination practices. This industry-recognized certification holds lifelong validity and will serve as a testament to your commitment to upholding the highest standards of legal compliance and ethical HR management.
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This program will entitle you:
Download Brochure Pricing & Registration- Experience 2 days of instructor-led live training and gain a comprehensive understanding of South Africa’s employment termination laws, including the Labour Relations Act (LRA), Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), and key codes of good practice governing dismissals, retrenchments, and contract terminations.
- Attain the industry-recognized Certification in South Africa Employment Termination and Retrenchment Law. This certification will validate your expertise in managing lawful terminations, ensuring procedural fairness, mitigating legal risks, and maintaining compliance across diverse employment scenarios.
- Learn from real-world case studies and best practices in dismissal and retrenchment compliance, gaining critical skills in disciplinary procedures, CCMA preparation, documentation drafting, consultation processes, and ethical offboarding to support your organisation’s legal and operational success.
- For inquiries, chat with our Program Advisers at advisor@charteredcertifications.com or call us at
- USA: +1 888 745 8875
- Singapore and Asia Pacific: +65 6716 9980
- Australia and New Zealand: +61 3 9909 7310
- UK, Europe and Middle East: +44 (020) 335 57898
Accreditations
This program is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Professional Certifications, which maintains the governing standards for all professionals who have completed this program.
The content of this program has been fully certified and accredited by CPD Certification Service as conforming to Continuing Professional Principles. CPD is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the Continuing Professional Development policies of professional institutes and academic bodies. The CPD Certification Service provides support, advice and recognized independent CPD accreditation compatible with global CPD principles.
What Can You Expect From This Live Program
Each year, over 180,000 employment disputes are referred to South Africa’s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), with the majority stemming from claims of unfair dismissal or termination. This high volume reflects the complexity of South Africa’s termination laws, which impose stringent procedural and substantive requirements on employers, making it exceptionally difficult for HR leaders to navigate terminations without triggering disputes or legal challenges.
This certified program will equip you with comprehensive legal framework governing employment termination, dismissal, and retrenchment in South Africa. You will gain a deep understanding of the critical procedural steps required for lawful dismissals, including distinctions between dismissals for misconduct, incapacity, and operational requirements. Additionally, you will explore how to conduct legally sound retrenchment processes in line with Section 189, including consultation obligations, selection criteria, severance pay requirements, and alternatives to retrenchment.
Through real-world case studies and landmark decisions from the CCMA and Labour Courts, you will develop strategies to minimize legal exposure and strengthen organizational compliance. You’ll learn to draft defensible termination policies, manage legal risks during disciplinary hearings and investigations, and effectively document processes to withstand legal scrutiny. Additionally, this program will help you gain practical guidance on aligning termination practices with constitutional and legislative mandates, especially in unionized environments where collective bargaining agreements and trade union consultation requirements must be rigorously observed. By the end of this program, you will be equipped to structure robust exit strategies, implement proactive compliance frameworks, and enable your organization to avoid costly litigation while upholding fair labour practices.
Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded the Certification in South Africa Employment Termination and Retrenchment Law, enhancing your professional credentials and strengthening your expertise in the critical area of employment termination and labour law compliance. This industry-recognized certification holds lifelong validity and will distinguish you as a trusted expert in managing dismissals, retrenchments, and workforce exits in accordance with South Africa’s legal and ethical standards.
Key Skills You Will Gain
- South African Labour Law Compliance
- Labour Relations Act (LRA) Application
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) Interpretation
- Constitutional Rights in Employment Termination
- Classification of Termination Types
- Substantive and Procedural Fairness
- Misconduct Dismissal Procedures
- Incapacity and Ill-Health Termination
- Poor Performance Management
- Conducting Disciplinary Hearings
- Section 189 and 189A Retrenchment Procedures
- Retrenchment Consultation and Selection Criteria
- Drafting Legally Sound Termination Notices
- Retrenchment and Dismissal Letters
- Fixed-Term and Probationary Contracts Management
- Lawful Termination For Temporary Employment
- Disguised Dismissals Identification
- Mutual Separation Agreement Structuring
- Voluntariness in Separation Agreements
- CCMA Conciliation and Arbitration Preparation
- Labour Court Case Preparation
- Collecting and Presenting Employment Evidence
- Trade Union Involvement in Termination
- Whistleblower and Protected Disclosures
- Litigation Risk Mitigation
- Ethical Offboarding and Exit Management
- Preserving Employer Brand During Terminations
- Communicating Exits with Compassion
- Procedural Errors Prevention in Termination
- Termination Practices Alignment With Legal Standards
Your Faculty Director
Aslam Moolla is a highly regarded Labour Law specialist with over 13 years of experience, dedicated to promoting fair workplace practices and advocating for employees' rights. He holds a Master’s in International Trade Law and is licensed by the Legal Practice Council of South Africa. With expertise in employment litigation and legal compliance, Aslam has represented clients before the Labour Court, High Court, and CCMA.
He has also conducted legal compliance audits and developed HR policies for major organizations, including Durban ICC and Gift of the Givers. Aslam’s insights are shared with over 600,000 social media followers, and he regularly appears in media outlets to provide expert advice on labour law and workplace rights.
South Africa Laws on Employment Termination, Dismissal and Retrenchment Program Agenda
How You Will Benefit
- Master South Africa’s Employment Termination Laws: Gain a thorough understanding of the Labour Relations Act (LRA), Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), and constitutional requirements governing dismissals, retrenchments, and contract terminations.
- Ensure Procedural and Substantive Fairness: Learn to apply the five legal questions of fair dismissal, ensuring compliance in disciplinary, incapacity, and poor performance cases.
- Execute Lawful Retrenchments: Understand Section 189 and 189A retrenchment procedures, including consultation, selection criteria, and documentation to avoid CCMA challenges.
- Draft Legally Compliant Termination Documents: Gain practical skills in writing clear, enforceable termination letters, hearing outcomes, and retrenchment notices.
- Prepare for CCMA and Labour Court Proceedings: Understand the conciliation and arbitration process, and develop strong documentation and representation strategies.
- Use Mutual Separation Agreements Effectively: Learn how to structure valid, voluntary MSAs to reduce litigation risk and facilitate smooth exits.
- Handle Protected Disclosures and Whistleblower Cases: Understand how to navigate sensitive terminations involving protected disclosures to avoid legal repercussions.
- Lead Ethical and Compassionate Offboarding: Develop strategies to preserve employee dignity, maintain morale, and protect your employer brand during terminations.
- Reduce Legal and Operational Risk: Implement legally sound termination practices to minimise disputes, avoid financial penalties, and safeguard organisational reputation.
Certification in South Africa Employment Termination and Retrenchment Law
Upon successfully attending this program, you will be awarded with the Certification in South Africa Employment Termination and Retrenchment Law that can be used in your resume, CV and other professional credentials. This certification is industry-recognized with lifelong validity.
Globally recognized and highly regarded, this certification will elevate your professional profile and validate your expertise in navigating the complexities of employment termination, dismissal, and retrenchment compliance under South African labour law. Developed by the Chartered Institute of Professional Certifications, this program has been independently accredited by the CPD Certification Service, ensuring it meets the highest standards of continuing professional development principles.
Pricing & Registration
South Africa
Dates: 20 - 21 Jan 2026
Venue: Online Executive Program (via Zoom)
Time: 9:00am - 4:30pm West Africa Time (WAT)
10:00am - 5:30pm Central Africa Time (CAT)
10:00am - 5:30pm South African Standard Time (SAST)
11:00am - 6:30pm East Africa Time (EAT)
| Early Bird Packages | Regular Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| By 29 Oct 2026 | By 10 Dec 2025 | After 10 Dec 2025 | |
| South Africa Delegates | ZAR 19,995 | ZAR 21,995 | ZAR 23,995 |
Group Discount: 2nd participant get 10%, or register 3 participants and 4th participant get a complimentary seat (1 discount scheme applies).
Register NowDownload Brochure
You can download our program brochure below. If you have any inquiries on this program, please contact our Program Advisor at advisor@charteredcertifications.com or call us at:
- Singapore and Asia Pacific: +65 6716 9980
- Australia and New Zealand: +61 3 9909 7310
- UK, Europe and Middle East: +44 (020) 335 57898
- USA: +1 888 745 8875
Convincing Your Boss To Attend This Program
Securing approval from your boss to attend this program can be difficult if you don’t know what to say. So, we’ve prepared a template for you! All you need to do is to download this template, copy and paste in email and send it to your boss!
South Africa Laws on Employment Termination, Dismissal and Retrenchment
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