Windhoek Country Club employees challenge management over forced illnesses disclosure

Windhoek Country Club employees have challenged management over a policy that requires them to disclose their illnesses when submitting sick leave.

Company general manager Rudie Putter, who was appointed in June, confirmed that management has told employees to start providing detailed medical reports attached to their sick leaves.

According to the workers’ petition, the company also reduced their performance bonuses to less than 50% from the usual 100% in September.

During a demonstration on Thursday, employees expressed dissatisfaction with the new policies by handing over the petition to Putter.

Employees say they were informed by the company that medical certificates without employees’ sickness diagnosis “will not be accepted and sick leave will be unpaid with disciplinary actions.”

The company’s senior shop steward representing the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union, Kristofina Ileka, said requiring employees’ medical reports is not allowed by the Labour Act.

In response, Putter said part of the employees’ work requires management to be aware of potential health risks, as their duties involve guests interaction, as well as working with oil, gas and scaffolds.

“We want the physician to describe what the illness is because if I have to put somebody on a scaffold and they have epilepsy, they could kill themselves and we will be liable,” he said.

He said contagious diseases may pose serious health risks to guests.

Meanwhile, Ileka said the 50% performance bonus was not a substantive agreement.

“Employees expected 100% as usual, but ended up getting less. They got N$1 400, which is even less than 50%,” she said.

The workers say the company changed the performance bonus without their consent.

Putter said while the oil and gas sector performed well, overall business levels did not match previous years, affecting the bonus pool.

“The bonus system is tied to company performance above budget, with payouts approved by the board,” he said.

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