‘Liking’ a Social Media Policy?
‘Like’ it or not, ‘tweeting’, ‘posting’ and ‘sharing’ is now common and routine; and, for some people, indispensable in sharing news, opinions and stories. Businesses and organisations, too, are regular users of this media to reach their audience. Everyone has heard of
Read MoreMediation v Arbitration
As an alternative means to resolving commercial disputes, parties can try mediation or arbitration – but what is the difference between these two processes? Mediation is where an impartial third party (usually trained in mediation) acts as a facilitator of discussion or
Read MoreCausation and workers compensation
Causation is a fairly a complex topic; and, inherently, because fact situations will differ, as will medical opinion, and given the array of legislative difference and case law interpretation, it is not something you can have a rule of thumb about; or determine in a clear
Read MoreThe Role of our Court
The Court plays a crucial role in our society and economy. Parliament makes laws; the Executive Government implements the law; and the Courts interpret and enforce the law. In the United States, the US Supreme Court has recently ruled on health insurance; affirmed
Read More11 June 2015, Can I look at your emails?
We think information is confidential because it is not publicly available, was sent in circumstances in which it was intended to remain private, and has commercial or other value. What happens when you use your company email address to send private or confidential
Read MoreWorking on your Policies
Workplace policies set out principles guiding your organisation’s expectations. Employees, as well as employers, can utilise them. The inclusion of a term relating to policies in an employment contract may have the effect of expanding the employment contact to include the
Read MoreMagna Carta
If you are not sure what this means, you are not alone. In 2012, David Letterman, on his Late Show, asked English Prime Minister David Cameron what the English was for the Magna Carta. The PM correctly identified it was signed in 1215 at Runnymede and identified its
Read MoreIs a Medical Certificate enough?
Usually; but not always. Sometimes, the employer can ask for better information, including a report from the treating medical practitioner. Recently, the Federal Court dealt with a case where a pilot’s employer contended the medical certificate was uninformative and the
Read MoreSurvey says ….
Walls, sheds and more permanent structures, such as swimming pools and even houses can sometimes inadvertently be built outside the boundary of your property. This is an encroachment and if your neighbour is unhappy about it and the issue cannot be solved readily, it can
Read MoreImproving Access to Justice
The Australian Government’s Productivity Commission is taking a 15-month look at Australia’s system of civil dispute resolution. The focus will be on constraining the costs and improving access to the justice system. The Commission will examine how much legal
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