If there are no Court Orders in place, and the parents don’t get along well enough to work out an informal solution together, problems may arise. Some parents simply decide to keep the children over Christmas, regardless of what the other parent wants – after all, who is going to stop them from spending time with their own children?

Over the last few weeks, we have received an influx of phone calls from concerned parents, about the possibility of their children being vaccinated against COVID-19. These parents fall on either side of the issue – some are eager to have their children immunised as soon as possible, while some are concerned about potential adverse effects and want to make sure their children aren’t put at risk.

Do I need to finalise my property settlement with orders? And how long do I have?

What if I dont get orders - How long after can I or my partner bring an application to the court?

Can my property orders be set aside?

On Friday, August 13 the Fair Work Ombudsman updated its advice in relation to the issue of COVID vaccination and the workplace. This topic has become quite controversial over recent weeks and looks to be posing businesses with significant issues going forward.

Over the last couple of weeks, you may have noticed a swarm of articles discussing the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Bill 2021, which blitzed through both Federal Houses of Parliament in under 24 hours and was passed on 25 August 2021. It received Royal Assent on 3 September 2021.

Anyone who has had a matter in family law will usually say that the Family Law System needs to be changed. It is, and will be the biggest change in the Australian Family Law system since 1975.

Earlier this week Deliveroo won their appeal in the UK courts against Independent Workers Unions Rights in June 2021 where Deliveroo workers were affirmed as self-employed. The business investment community sent a very strong message about how they view the difference between contractors and employees. The Deliveroo share price jumped 9% by 400 million pounds.

De facto, or ‘common law’ marriage, is where a couple are not officially married, but have been living together on a ‘genuine domestic basis.’ If a de facto couple splits up, the Court may treat them the same as a married couple going through a divorce.

We received judgment this week for a client in an adverse action in the FCC. The Employer, Edition Coffee Roasters, entered voluntary liquidation after proceedings commenced. The Court found the director of the company, Mr Jackson personally liable under s550 of the Fair Work Act for the damages to our clients employment.

Many believe slavery to be a thing of the past, in fact, Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948 states, “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” In the 21st Century, slavery has become more subtle but remains a global problem.

This is how many victims describe their existence and relationships under coercive control. A ‘strategic pattern of entrapment’ undermining self determination. Understanding coercive control is key to responding to common questions people ask about domestic violence like “why didn’t she just leave?"

Are your employees time frauds?

Family violence is a crisis in Australia. Often, women experiencing domestic violence and coercive control are vulnerable around the time of separation and divorce. 1 in 6 women have experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner. Unfortunately, this can happen in the presence of children, with 61% of women having children in their care when this violence occurs.

Gambling, reckless spending behaviour and ill-considered business dealings, giving away assets or free rent and underselling assets are all examples of behaviour we sometimes see in family law property matter and they also are circumstances the Court has determined as wasting the family finances and are taken into account by the Court in determining Family Law proceedings.

The safety and wellbeing of our beloved pets are understandably at the forefront of many of our minds at times. Domestic Violence NSW explained that perpetrators of domestic violence will often threaten to harm or kill animals to gain control in the relationship.

Are you or is someone in your family currently living in a granny flat?

Last month, the High Court rejected a decision in the Full Court of the Federal Court in regard to calculating entitlements to paid personal leave. This case is significant in that it highlights exactly how this type of leave is acquired and what specifies a ‘day’, clarifying the difference between a ‘working’ day and a ‘notional’ day. If an employee is in a position where they need to take personal or carer’s leave and the employer is unsure what they are entitled to, this article explains how this case affects that calculation.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has announced that the minimum wage will be increasing by 1.75% and will apply to all Modern Awards. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) will be $753.80 or $19.84 per hour (an hourly increase of 35 cents). In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in the NMW and modern award minimum wages seem modest in comparison to the 3% increase last July 2019. This article will explain these changes to the minimum wages and what employers need to do to.

61% of households in Australia own pets, According to Animal Medicines Australia, and most people consider their dog or cat as a member of their family .

So what happens when the family is broken up through divorce or separation. Who has custody over their pets and how is this decided by Australian courts?

We understand that consulting a lawyer for legal support can be a daunting prospect, particularly if you’ve never had to do so before. And it can be hard to navigate the process, to ensure you are getting the best value from your experience and will reach the desired outcome.