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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.’”
UFS Qwaqwa Campus honours research champions
2016-11-22
Best Emerging Researcher in the Faculty of
Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Dr Puseletso Mofokeng,
being congratulated by Drs Elsa Crause
(Campus Vice-Principal: Academic and Research)
and Dipane Hlalele
(Acting Campus Vice-Principal: Operations).
The Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Academic and Research Office on the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State recently honoured innovative academics and leading researchers. The event was the highlight of the 2016 academic year and was aimed at recognising academic innovation, dedication, and hard work.
The winning academics and categories were:
CTL Awards:
Dr Emile Bredenhand – Design Your Course
Dr Marga Stander and Bianca Naude (joint winners) – Student Engagement
Dr Marga Stander – Research in Teaching and Learning (runner-up: Fani Radebe)
Wouter de Wet – Assessment Methods (runner-up: Ntebohiseng Sekhele)
Ben Mase – Technology (runner-up: Dr Jared McDonald)
The History Department – Departmental Award
Outstanding researchers were also honoured per faculty on the day.
Academic and Research Awards:
The winners were:
Habasisa Molise – Best Emerging Researcher (Faculty of Education)
Calvin Mudzingiri – Best Emerging Researcher (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
Dr Oliver Nyambi – Best Emerging Researcher (Faculty of the Humanities)
Dr Puseletso Mofokeng – Best Emerging Researcher (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences)
Dr Dipane Hlalele – Prolific Researcher (Faculty of Education)
Dr Jared McDonald – Prolific Researcher (Faculty of the Humanities)
Dr Tom Ashafa – Prolific Researcher (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences)
Prof Birhanu Dejene – Consistent Researcher
Prof Rodney Moffett – Life-long Researcher
The event also acknowledged Drs Geofrey Mukwada (Geography) and Aliza Le Roux (Zoology and Entomology) as newly-appointed Professors. The duo leads the Afromontane Research Unit.