In South Africa there are over 200,000 unfair dismissal disputes every year - roughly 800 per day and more than 50% of these disputes are awarded in favour of the employee. With an average loss of R25,000 and 20 productive hours per employer, per case, the reality is, any company that has employees needs EPL cover.
Camargue fully sponsors the free e-learning modules. The Insurance Institute of South Africa has approved the content and assessments of the new course for three CPD hours. The CPD hours obtained at the e-learning courses are added to those already acquired at the group's workshops.
According to Camargue MD, Mitch Marescia, by taking the courses online, the group is considerably expanding its reach with no geographic area excluded. IISA member brokers in South Africa, on the continent and anywhere in the world can benefit from the e-learning programme.
"By spreading the power of knowledge - a philosophy that we live by - we are changing the face of the industry and raising the bar when it comes to proficiency and professionalism," adds Marescia.
Head of the Camargue LAB, Mari Williams, says that upon successful completion of the EPL course, brokers will have a clear understanding of exactly what EPL is; appreciate where the risks come from; and have a grasp of unfair labour practices and key exclusions. "They will also be clear about the kind of questions to ask when securing an EPL quote and thanks to the level of practical detail in the course; they will also be able to more than adequately apply the knowledge in practice."
Both profit (public and private) and non-profit companies are at risk of being sued by current, past and potential employees and even the most efficient HR departments may fall victim to inconsistent decision making at the dispute resolution forums. Defending a wrongful termination or discrimination claim - whether innocent or guilty, or even if the claim is groundless or frivolous - can be expensive. Of the awards made against the employer, approximately 60% are both procedurally and substantively unfair.
"The potential exposure to a monetary damages award threatens a company's financial resources and even its reputation can also be called into question. With the South African environment becoming increasingly litigious, large and small businesses alike must manage this risk, mitigating and migrating it with unshakable cover," says Williams. "The prospect for brokers closing these deals has never been easier - this is not a hard sell product despite its niche status - but a complete understanding of the landscape is fundamental to broker credibility."
Human resources and skills development teams, within large broker groups, can add Camargue's e-learning into their annual training schedules and bulk registrations cater for management of this in-house.
For more information, go to www.camargueum.co.za.
