Public urged to watch out for job scams

The Department of Employment and Labour has warned work seekers not to pay for employment opportunities.

The latest scam is one that uses the department’s name in connection with promises of admin jobs. The scammers request unsuspecting members of the public to pay a refundable fee of R250 at PEP stores for background checks, the department said in a statement on Monday February 5.

“Work seekers are advised not to deposit any fees and share their contact and personal information, thus compromising their security. No person may charge a fee to any work seeker for providing employment services to that work seeker. This is according to the Employment Services (ES) Act. 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 placing that employee with an employer,” the department said.

The department added that an unemployment rate of 31.9% had presented "fertile ground“ for scammers to dupe the public with promises of job offers in return for a fee.

The Department of Employment and Labour, also said that through the Public Employment Services (PES) branch, and as a custodian of Employment Services Act, it must provide the following public employment services free of charge to members of the public in a manner that is open and accessible:

• matching work seekers with available work opportunities;
• registering work seekers;
• registering job vacancies and other work opportunities;
• facilitating the placing of work seekers with employers or in other work opportunities;
• advising work seekers on access to education and training;
• advising workers on access to social security benefits;
• providing specialised services to assist vulnerable work seekers;
• 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;
• facilitating the employment of foreign nationals in a manner that is consistent with the object of this Act and the Immigration Act; and
• 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 in their statement.