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Who does employment equity act apply to?

The Employment Equity Act in South Africa applies to all employers, workers, and job applicants but not National Defence Force, National Intelligence Agency, or South African Secret Service members. The Act also applies to employment agencies, trade unions, and employer organisations. However, the Act contains specific provisions for 'designated employers'.

A 'designated employer', as defined by the Act, is an employer who employs 50 or more employees or has a total annual turnover that is equal to or above a specified amount in Schedule 4 of the Act. It also includes municipalities and organs of the state. Designated employers have additional responsibilities under the Act, including developing and implementing an Employment Equity Plan.

To illustrate, let's consider a hypothetical company, 'ACME', which employs 75 people. As a designated employer under the Act, ACME would be required to develop an Employment Equity Plan, setting out specific goals and strategies for promoting employment equity within the company. This could include measures to promote diversity, eliminate unfair discrimination, and ensure the equitable representation of people from designated groups in all levels of the workforce.

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