Published Article / The South African Public Sector is based on democratic values and principles enshrined in the Constitution. One of those crucial principles is the promotion of efficiency and the economic and effective utilisation of resources. By implication, the achievement of this principle is only possible if people with the correct skills, qualifications and knowledge are selected to lead government projects and programmes. However, the country's unrepresentative labour force, as well as their disadvantage with regard to skills, poses a challenge within the Public Sector. The purpose of this paper is to assess the implementation of employment equity in a category C District Municipality. Focus-group discussions targeting the respective District Municipalities were conducted. The interview schedule demarcated three sections. The first focused on the respondents' awareness of legislative directives, the second on the implementation of a 2005 Employment Equity Plan, and the third on the importance of relevant legislation that was passed by the Government to address imbalances in employment equity. Results indicate that even though some progress was evident, the implementation of the 2005 Employment Equity Plan was slow and consequently the District Municipality under investigation was unable to reach its set targets. Although several reasons are given for this state of affairs, the biggest concern is the absence of the commitment of the Municipal Council in implementing the Plan.

There is an unexplained gap in employment between native-born and foreign-born women in most European countries and it is not evident how it can be closed. This essay studies some possible explanations of the gap by looking at the effect of childcare costs and integration policies, through regression analysis. The individual effects are not significant, but the results do however give some indication that the degree of integration policies in a country can change the effect of welfare policies such as childcare.

In Sweden and many other countries of the European Union throughout the entire twentieth century the self-employment has been important and essential for sustainable growth and welfare. The dynamics of self-employment have had an variance between areas that are characterized and distinguished by different labour market conditions, entrepreneurial traditions and other structural factors. In general, the agricultural importance in Swedish rural regions has declined over time, hence other small and medium industries have grown and gained more significance in these type of regions. A good example of the decline in industrialised importance for Swedish rural region is Bergslagen. Where the majority of the jobs in the traditional sectors of iron-ore mining were lost without any renewal. This study highlights the self-employment option out of the two-folded perspective. The first and foremost is to investigate the spatial i.e. rural-urban differences with the relation to individual motives as their choice for self-employment. Also, a second and as a side goal of the research, the propensity for self-employment is considered in order to get wider insight of the regional start-up activity in urban and rural regions. By using the rich survey dataset on ex-post motives and the register-based longitudinal data from Swedish Statistics (SCB). The regional differences in determinants for self-employment are examined by applying the binary probit and multinomial logit regressions. Additionally, in order to get a coherent unity within the multidimensional motives a factor analysis is used for grouping the motive variables into the four groups. Simultaneously for easier association to labour market the motives are also divided into typology of pull-push categories. The results regarding propensity for self-employment show small or no differences in the tendency for starting the own venture in rural side or urban regions. On the other hand, results concerning spatial aspects and motive behind the choice of occupation shows that a mutually pull and push reasons are more linked to the urban region than to the rural. Comparable results are observed on the subject of single ex-post motive “non-monetary” in respective area i.e. rural and urban.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The thesis examines the nature and extent of protection available to "whistleblowers", employees who disclose to outside bodies wrongdoing or malpractice at work. It begins with a consideration of the philosophical basis for providing protection for such employees. The legal rights of the whistleblowing employee in English law are then considered. In chapter three case law on the duty of confidence is examined and conclusions drawn on its application to employees dismissed for blowing the whistle, with particular reference to whether disclosure of information involves a breach of the employment contract. The general law on unfair dismissal is examined in chapter four to determine the extent to which an employee can claim that a dismissal for raising a concern is unfair. Protection for whistleblowing on specific issues such as race or sex discrimination, and health and safety issues is considered in chapter five. International standards governing the protection of the right to freedom of expression, in particular Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, are examined in chapter six. Chapter seven comprises a comparative study of the protection available to employees who blow the whistle in the USA, where protection exists for whistleblowers both at a constitutional level and in specific legislation. A case study is included in chapter eight in which the position of employees in the National Health Service is examined in detail, with regard to their contractual position and the practical difficulties faced by those who wish to raise concerns about matters at work. A fundamental distinction drawn throughout the thesis is between two types of whistleblowing: "watchdog" whistleblowing, referring the raising of concerns about immediate threats to health and safety or of serious financial loss; and "protest" whistleblowing, referring to the participation of employees in debate on matters that are in the public interest, using specialist informztion gained from their employment. The recognition of these two forms of whistleblowing aids the analysis of the limitations of the legal protection as well as proving useful in the determining the scope of proposed reform. The argument is made that the protection currently available is inadequate and the thesis ends with proposals for legal reform.

Abstract IMPACT OF ALTERNATIVE FINANCING PROGRAMS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES By: Amy Nicole Dye Davis This study investigated the effect of assistive technologies purchased through Alternative Financing Programs (AFP) for individuals with disabilities on quality of life, independence in the home and community, and employment. In fiscal year 2000, AFPs received federal grants under the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (after it was repealed and renamed the AT Act) to provide financial loans to persons with disabilities to enable them to purchase assistive technologies (AT). In fiscal year 2002, Congress appropriated funds to support grants to increase access to telework for individuals with disabilities. There are 33 AFPs located across the U.S. and territories that use said funding to provide alternative financing for persons with disabilities so that the aforementioned opportunities are possible. This study also examined telework, defined as a way to reduce or eliminate barriers to employment or self-employment. Telework, irrespective of the circumstance or initial motivation, has the potential to circumvent the need to navigate the traditional workplace. As a result, telework could raise the standards for equality in the job market for persons with disabilities. An examination of AFP clients delineated loan acceptance and rejection rates, goals for acquiring assistive technologies, and employment outcomes for said individuals with disabilities. Determining the reasons why AFP clients needed assistive technology and how they planned to use it defined predictors to successful employment outcomes. Finally, the overall effectiveness of the AFPs with respect to increasing quality of life, independence, and employment rates for persons with disabilities was assessed. Examining employment outcomes as they are linked to public policy is puissant and a connection not previously pursued. This study found statistically significant associations between quality of life and employment in that persons with disabilities who were AFP applicants reported a higher quality of life if they were employed. Also found, was a statistically significant association between quality of life and independence levels in that persons with disabilities who reported increased independence at home or in the community also reported having a better quality of life.