MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A Mossel Bay resident is alarmed after receiving a group email from the Department of Labour, with her email address and all the other recipients' email addresses copied, instead of blind copied (bcc) in the email, so the email addresses are clearly visible to all the recipients.
The communique was sent to employers of domestic workers who had signed up to pay UIF on behalf of their workers.
The email, sent from a staffer at the Department of Labour: Mossel Bay, as the email states, was sent to about 144 employers of domestic workers in Mossel Bay.
The first and last name of some of the employers is evident in a number of the email addresses.
Complaining to the Mossel Bay Advertiser, the resident said: "I'm calling you because I have been unable to get a response from the Labour Department. I have tried to speak to someone there.
"Perhaps they had an intern doing this and it was a mistake," the resident said.
The email reads thus: "Dear Employer, "According to our records, you employ a domestic worker at your private household.
"We would like to make an appointment to conduct an inspection at your residence to check compliance with the Sectoral Determination 7: Domestic Sector.
"Please find attached notification for your information together with feedback form for your completion.
"Your soonest feedback will be appreciated, but not later than 27 November 2017.
"Regards,
"Name of staff member, which the Mossel Bay Advertiser chooses to leave out to protect the person's identity.
"Department of Labour: Mossel Bay"
The Mossel Bay Advertiser contacted the local Labour Department offices to ask about this "blanket" email.
The office notified the Advertiser that the query would be escalated to the provincial office in Cape Town.
The Department of Labour Western Cape provincial office replied, stating: "The Department of Labour recently issued a bulk email to employers, informing them of our intention to conduct inspections in the domestic work sector.
"The email was sent in error and the department hereby wishes to retract the email.
"The department wishes to apologise to its clients for any discontent as a result of the correspondence issued.
The email was not malicious, but rather erroneous. A labour inspector will therefore make direct contact with the relevant employers only."
The reply came from Candice van Reenen, assistant director: communications at the provincial Labour Department office.
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