Your rights at the CCMA, in plain language.
Written for workers, not for lawyers. No jargon, no promises, and we say plainly when the answer is not the one you were hoping for.
Unfair dismissal and the CCMA
12 guidesThe deadline, the forms, and what actually happens once you refer.
Unfair dismissal in South Africa: what it means and what to do next
What counts as unfair dismissal in South Africa, the two tests a commissioner applies, and what to do in the 30 days after you are dismissed.
How long do you have to refer a case to the CCMA?
You have 30 days to refer an unfair dismissal to the CCMA, counted from the date of dismissal. What starts the clock, and what to do if you are late.
Missed the 30 days? What CCMA condonation actually requires
If you are past the 30 day CCMA deadline you can still refer, but you must apply for condonation. What that means and what it asks you to show.
Dismissed without a hearing: is that unfair?
Being dismissed without a hearing usually points to an unfair process, but it does not decide the case on its own. What a fair process looks like.
Substantive and procedural fairness: the two tests explained
Two separate tests decide whether a dismissal was fair: was there a good reason, and was the process fair. An employer can lose on either one.
How to refer a dispute to the CCMA, step by step
The referral form, how to serve it on your employer, what it costs, and what happens after you hand it in. A plain guide to referring an unfair dismissal.
What actually happens at CCMA conciliation
Conciliation is a private meeting where a commissioner helps both sides settle. Nothing is decided against you. What to expect and how to prepare.
What happens at CCMA arbitration
Arbitration is where your case has to be proved rather than described. Who proves what, what the hearing looks like, and what the award means afterwards.
What compensation can the CCMA award?
Reinstatement, re-employment or compensation, and what the caps actually mean. Why the 12 month maximum is a ceiling and not a going rate.
Do you need a lawyer at the CCMA?
No lawyer is needed to refer, none is allowed at conciliation, and at arbitration they are restricted. What the CCMA Rules say, stage by stage.
What a CCMA condonation application has to say
Late referring to the CCMA? The condonation application has five parts the Rules require. What each one means, in plain language, and what decides it.
Do you have a CCMA case? How a commissioner decides
Five questions decide an unfair dismissal case: were you dismissed, are you in time, was there a fair reason, was the process fair, and what is it worth.
We will tell you if your case is weak.
Everyone else in this market makes money when you proceed. We do not. The report gives you a probability score out of 100 and shows the calculation, and when the honest answer is that you have little chance, it says so.
Reasons for dismissal
1 guideWhen a reason holds up, and when it does not.
Process, rights and money
2 guidesHearings, warnings, notice pay and what to do in the first few days.
What to do in the first 48 hours after being dismissed
Five things to do in the two days after you are dismissed, in order, none of which cost anything. Written for the day it happens, not for later.
Your rights at a disciplinary hearing
What the Code of Good Practice says an employer should do before dismissing you for misconduct, what it does not require, and what to write down after.