Don’t be duped by job scammers warns labour department

The Department of Employment and Labour has warned work seekers not to pay for employment, as it contravenes the Employment Services (ES) Act.

In a statement, the department said no person may charge a fee to any work seeker for providing employment services to the work seeker.

“The Employment Services Act further states that a private employment agency must not deduct any amount from the remuneration of an employee or require or permit an employee to pay any amount in respect of the placing of that employee with an employer. ”

South Africa is in the grip of unprecedented unemployment sitting at 31,9 percent, providing fertile ground for scammers promising employment to desperate job seekers in return for a fee.

The Department expressed concern at the number of scams, “that keep on popping up periodically promising the unemployed jobs. The latest of such good-for-nothing scams is one that uses the Department’s name for promises of so-called Admin Worker jobs. The scamsters are requesting unsuspecting members of the public to pay a refundable fee of R250 at PEP stores for background checks.”

It advised work seekers not to deposit any fees nor share their contact and personal information to the scamsters

The Department through the Public Employment Services (PES) provides the following public employment services free of charge to members of the public:

(a) matching work seekers with available work opportunities;

(b) registering work seekers;

(c) registering job vacancies and other work opportunities;

(d) facilitating the placing of work seekers with employers or in other work opportunities;

(e) advising work seekers on access to education and training;

(f) advising workers on access to social security benefits;

(g) providing specialised services to assist vulnerable work seekers;

(h) facilitating the exchange of information among labour market participants, including employers, workers and work seekers, private employment agencies, Sector Education and Training Authorities and training providers;

(i) facilitating the employment of foreign nationals in a manner that is consistent with the object of this Act and the Immigration Act; and

(j) generally, performing any other function in terms of employment law or prescribed in terms of this Act.

“As soon as you’re asked to pay anything towards recruitment and related employment services know that this is likely to be a scam. If someone or an organisation requests you to pay fees, report them at Department of Employment and Labour,” the department said.

Cape Times