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19 November 2018
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Story Charlene Stanley
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Photo Charlene Stanley
“Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it.”
This famous quote by international tech expert Erin Bury should be a guiding light when it comes to online habits in the workplace, according to Francois Cilliers, UFS Lecturer in Mercantile Law.
In his presentation Could Social Media be the Gateway to Employment Discrimination? he warned that employees have a responsibility not to bring their employers in disrepute through their comments on social media.
“Posts, updates, tweets, and comments are considered to be publications and can therefore never be seen as privileged information,” he explained.
Responsibility on employees and employers alike
He pointed out that employers also had a responsibility regarding the way in which they use the information about prospective employees obtained via social media.
“Nowadays, approximately 75% of companies hire through social media. In the US, recruiting companies spend hours researching candidates, making full use of what they can find on social media. It was found that 50–80% of employers frowned upon posts and pictures featuring drug and alcohol abuse, profanity, and bad grammar.”
He warned that employers needed to tread lightly, as a decision not to employ someone as a result of information on the prospective employee’s political views and sexual orientation could constitute unfair discrimination as set out in the Employment Equity Act.
“An employer who wishes to use a screening process (utilising social media) has to prove that the information and the process is objectively necessary and can be justified with reference to the inherent requirements of the job,” he explained.
“As technology and electronic systems advance, so too should the applicable labour laws.”
Cilliers’ presentation formed part of the Fifth Annual International Mercantile Law Conference recently hosted by the Faculty of Law on the Bloemfontein Campus.
Incorporating new technology in teaching and research
“This conference is an opportunity to share ideas on best practice in what is perceived as a ‘difficult’ field within Law,” said Prof John Mubangizi, Dean of the Faculty of Law, as he opened the proceedings. Topics in the discussion sessions ranged from Racism in the workplace and The underrepresentation of females in the judiciary, to Decriminalisation of cannabis: A recipe for healthy employer-employee relations?
“Conferences such as these help us to take advantage of the newest developments in technology to advance our teaching and research,” said Prof Mubangizi.
“To quote Einstein: ‘We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.’”
Extension of the academic calendar
2016-03-21
At the Senate meeting which was held on 29 February 2016, a resolution was taken to extend the academic calendar by one week to make up for the lost academic week as a result of the recent student protest action. In particular, it was decided that the commencement of the mid-year exams be postponed by one week. The Faculty of Health Sciences was the only faculty that was allowed to stick to the initial dates.
At its meeting of 2 March 2016, Rectorate discussed this matter and resolved to endorse the resolution of Senate, namely that the mid-year exams will be postponed by one week and that only the Faculty of Health Sciences can stick to the original dates as stipulated in the calendar.
Undergraduate lectures
(Excluding Faculty of Health Sciences)
First semester
Lectures start: 1 February 2016
Lectures end: 20 May 2016
8-credit modules
1 February 2016 - 1 April 2016
11 April 2016 - 20 May 2016
Holiday: 22 - 24 March 2016
Easter Weekend: 25 - 28 March 2016
Main mid-year examinations
Start: 23 May 2016
End: 11 June 2016
Additional mid-year examinations
Start: 13 June 2016
End: 4 July 2016
End of first semester: 8 July 2016
Holiday: 11 July 2016 - 15 July 2016
Second semester
Undergraduate lectures
(Excluding Faculty of Health Sciences)
Lectures start: 18 July 2016
Lectures end: 21 October 2016
8 Credit modules
18 July 2016 - 2 September 2016
5 September 2016 - 21 October 2016
Holiday: 3 - 7 October 2016
Main end-of-year examinations
Starts: 24 October 2016
Ends: 12 November 2016
Additional end-of-year examinations
Starts: 14 November 2016
Ends: 3 December 2016
End of Second Semester
9 December 2016
UFS holiday: 8 August 2016.
UFS recess from: 20 December 2016 - 3 January 2017.