Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act No. 66 of 1995)

Chapter V : Workplace Forums

89. Disclosure of information
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(1)An employer must disclose to the workplace forum all relevant information that will allow the workplace forum to engage effectively in consultation and joint decision—making.

 

(2)An employer is not required to disclose information—
(a)that is legally privileged;
(b)that the employer cannot disclose without contravening a prohibition imposed on the employer by any law or order of any court;
(c)that is confidential and, if disclosed, may cause substantial harm to an employee or the employer; or
(d)that is private personal information relating to an employee, unless that employee consents to the disclosure of that information.

 

(2A)The employer must notify the workplace forum in writing if of the view that any information disclosed in terms of subsection (1) is confidential.

 

(3)If there is a dispute about the disclosure of information, any party to the dispute may refer the dispute in writing to the Commission.

 

(4)The party who refers the dispute to the Commission must satisfy it that a copy of the referral has been served on all the other parties to the dispute.

 

(5)The Commission must attempt to resolve the dispute through conciliation.

 

(6)If the dispute remains unresolved, any party to the dispute may request that the dispute be resolved through arbitration.

 

(7)In any dispute about the disclosure of information contemplated in subsection (3), the commissioner must first decide whether or not the information is relevant.

 

(8)If the commissioner decides that the information is relevant and if it is information contemplated in subsection (2)(c) or (d), the commissioner must balance the harm that the disclosure is likely to cause to an employee or employer against the harm that the failure to disclose the information is likely to cause to the ability of the workplace forum to engage effectively in consultation and joint decision—making .

 

(9)If the commissioner decides that the balance of harm favours the disclosure of the information, the commissioner may order the disclosure of the information on terms designed to limit the harm likely to be caused to the employee or employer.

 

(10)When making an order in terms of subsection (9), the commissioner must take into account any breach of confidentiality in respect of information disclosed in terms of this section at that workplace and may refuse to order the disclosure of the information or any other confidential information, that might otherwise be disclosed, for a period specified in the arbitration award.