| Date | Venue | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 - 18 September 2026 | Sandton, Gauteng | 5 Days | |
| 26 - 30 October 2026 | Sandton, Gauteng | 5 Days | |
| 23 - 27 November 2026 | Sandton, Gauteng | 5 Days |
Please note: This is not a final registration, one of our team members will contact you shortly to finalise your registration.
Handling workplace conflict, grievances, and disciplinary processes correctly is a legal necessity as much as a people-management skill — mishandled cases are a major source of CCMA referrals and financial risk. This Employee Relations & Disciplinary Hearings Training course builds the practical, procedurally correct skills managers and HR professionals need to manage employee relations confidently and defensibly, covering the full disciplinary code and procedure in depth alongside grievance handling and CCMA dispute resolution.
Through simulated disciplinary hearings and grievance scenarios drawing on real South African case law, you’ll work through grievance handling, initiating and chairing disciplinary hearings, sanctioning, and CCMA dispute resolution. Ideal as an in-house course using your own disciplinary code, you’ll leave able to run every stage of the process correctly and defensibly.
This Employee Relations & Disciplinary Hearings Training course equips you to manage employee relations and disciplinary processes that are procedurally fair, well documented, and defensible at the CCMA.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
Apply the fundamentals of the Labour Relations Act to everyday employee relations situations
Interpret and apply workplace policies and disciplinary codes consistently
Handle grievances fairly and consistently before they escalate
Initiate a disciplinary process correctly, including notice and evidence requirements
Chair a disciplinary hearing that is procedurally fair and well documented
Determine appropriate sanctions and manage the appeals process defensibly
Understand the CCMA referral process and how to reduce dispute risk
Represent the organisation confidently at conciliation and arbitration
Reduced CCMA Risk: Handle grievances and disciplinary processes correctly the first time, cutting referral and dispute exposure.
Procedurally Fair, Every Time: Chair hearings that hold up to scrutiny, backed by proper documentation.
Confident Under Pressure: Handle difficult grievance and disciplinary conversations without losing composure or procedural correctness.
Defensible Sanctions and Appeals: Apply consistent sanctioning that survives an appeal or CCMA challenge.
The Complete Picture, Not Just the Code: Cover the disciplinary code and procedure in full, plus grievance handling and CCMA dispute resolution — the parts a code document alone doesn’t teach you to manage.
This Employee Relations & Disciplinary Hearings Training course is designed for:
HR Officers and Managers Responsible for Employee Relations
Line Managers and Supervisors Who Chair or Participate in Disciplinary Hearings
Union Liaison and Industrial Relations Officers
Business Owners Without a Dedicated HR Function
Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:
– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.
– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.
– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.
– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.
– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.
– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.
Module 1: Fundamentals of Employee Relations and the Labour Relations Act
Core principles of the Labour Relations Act relevant to everyday ER practice
The distinction between misconduct, incapacity, and operational requirements
Employer and employee rights and obligations in the employment relationship
How ER fundamentals apply to common day-to-day workplace situations
Practical Exercise: Classify a set of sample workplace issues by LRA category and appropriate process.
Module 2: Workplace Policies and the Disciplinary Code
Structuring a disciplinary code that is clear, fair, and enforceable
Explaining organisational and legal policy requirements for instituting disciplinary action
Aligning workplace policies with the Labour Relations Act
Keeping policies and codes current with legislative and case law developments
Practical Exercise: Review a sample disciplinary code and identify gaps or inconsistencies.
Module 3: Grievance Handling — Receiving, Investigating, and Resolving
Receiving grievances professionally and without defensiveness
Investigating a grievance thoroughly and impartially
Structuring a fair grievance resolution process
Preventing grievances from escalating into formal disputes
Practical Exercise: Work through a simulated grievance scenario from intake to resolution.
Module 4: Initiating a Disciplinary Process — Notice, Charges, and Evidence
Deciding when a disciplinary process is the correct response
Drafting clear, legally sound disciplinary charges
Meeting notice period and notification requirements
Gathering and preparing evidence for a disciplinary hearing
Practical Exercise: Draft a notice to attend a disciplinary hearing for a sample misconduct case.
Module 5: Chairing a Disciplinary Hearing
Clarifying the roles of all parties at the start of the hearing, per legal and organisational requirements
Structuring and running a procedurally fair hearing
Handling evidence, witnesses, and cross-examination fairly
Concluding a decision and notifying all role players correctly
Documenting the hearing thoroughly and accurately
Practical Exercise: Chair a simulated disciplinary hearing based on a realistic misconduct scenario.
Module 6: Sanctions, Outcomes, and Appeals
Determining a fair and consistent sanction
Weighing aggravating and mitigating factors in sanctioning
Communicating outcomes to the employee correctly
Managing the appeals process fairly and defensibly
Practical Exercise: Determine and motivate a sanction for a sample disciplinary outcome.
Module 7: CCMA Processes and Dispute Resolution
Understanding the CCMA referral process and timelines
Preparing for and participating in conciliation
What to expect at arbitration and how to present your case
Strategies to reduce dispute referral risk across the organisation
Practical Exercise: Prepare a conciliation position statement for a sample dispute.
Discover how our courses enhance professionals’ effectiveness in their workplaces.
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