Michael Cochrane shares his continued analysis and insights on trends in the ‘gig economy’ and the latest instalment in what has been a string of ‘gig economy’ rulings in recent times. Yesterday, a Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission unanimously held that an Uber Eats delivery driver (Ms Gupta) was not an employee (Amita … Read more
Last week Parliament passed the Jobkeeper legislation to give effect to the Federal Government’s new Jobkeeper payment scheme to deliver the flat rate wage subsidy of $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee to qualifying employers, in addition to making a number of temporary changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) to address the … Read more
The impact of COVID-19 is affecting the economy left, right and centre, forcing many businesses to think outside the box, rather than relying on business-as-usual considerations – especially when it comes to addressing cash flow issues. Many government entities and regulators are providing guidance and adapting laws (where necessary) in order to assist businesses during … Read more
On 3 April 2020, the National Cabinet agreed to develop a mandatory code of conduct in relation to commercial tenancies, to be guided by a set of principles. It is generally targeted at small to medium sized enterprises – that is, those with less than $50m in annual turnover. That code of conduct will need … Read more
On 10 March 2020, the ACCC announced its inquiry into the digital advertising technology supply chain and advertising agency services in Australia. This inquiry follows on from the findings of the ACCC’s Digital Platforms inquiry which concluded in July last year, with the ACCC currently seeking views and feedback from stakeholders in the digital advertising … Read more
Isolation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic can be a frightening proposition if you are experiencing family violence. Whilst for most of us our home is a haven, for 1 in 6 Australian women it is a place of fear. We have seen from China’s experience that family violence incidents surged following the forced lockdown period. In different circumstances, … Read more
Key Australian regulators have moved to establish new initiatives and scale-back some existing programs as the COVID-19 crisis deepens. Given the current crisis impacts both business and consumers alike, ASIC and the ACCC have prioritised their resources to ensure they are best placed to respond where necessary. The key take-outs for businesses to consider are: … Read more
“There is so much confusion at the moment. We are facing school closures, work closures, and potential exposure to the virus. What does this mean for my parenting arrangements?” One of the most common questions I have been asked by my clients, is this: is a forced lock down, considered to be part of the … Read more
COVID-19 will cause significant disruption to your workforce, if it hasn’t already, and we have over the last few weeks been regularly speaking with many of you about particular challenges that are arising as the situation progresses. Managing the increasing levels of public anxiety alone requires strong leadership and clear messaging to maintain stability in … Read more
