The days are getting longer. The smell of summer is in the air. The conquest of shopping centre Muzak systems by Christmas carols is (for the next little while, at least) total and complete. Yes, Christmas is coming – but before the season of peace and goodwill to all, first must come the work Christmas

What’s the difference between a cycle courier who delivers an envelope, and a cycle courier who delivers an enchilada? The answer, it appears, is “not much”, at least according to the Fair Work Commission (FWC). Last week, the FWC handed down a decision which found that one Mr Klooger, a food delivery worker engaged by

This story is about a dentist (so we can’t show you his face on television, if anyone is thinking of buying the television rights to this article).  The dentist was alleged to have engaged in sexual harassment, and dismissed from the practice in which he was working. Subsequently, he he was sued, and ordered by the

When legal liability is imposed upon one person for the misdeeds of another, even though the first person is themselves blameless, this liability is described as “vicarious liability”.  In Australia, vicarious liability arises most often when an employer is held to be liable for the torts of an employee.  Australian law has developed two “central conceptions” in relation to such

[Editorial note – this article was first written by Angus in 2012 when he was at DibbsBarker.  As (a) the article is no longer available on the DibbsBarker website, following the demise of that firm and (b) the article still holds up pretty well in 2018, we have republished it for you]  Any employers who

The discovery that a formerly trusted employee has been defrauding their employer throws up a lot of questions.  How could this have happened? Do I have to involve the police?  And sometimes most importantly, am I ever going to see the stolen money again? Freeze a jolly bad fellow (allegedly) The answer to the third

In post-employment restraint cases, a former employee who wishes to escape the full width of the restraint will often give undertakings to comply with part of the restraint.  For example, where a former employer seeks to enforce both non-compete and non-solicitation obligations, the former employee may give an undertaking to comply with the non-solicitation provisions. 

The very beginning, the song tells us, is a very good place to start – but not all beginnings are created (or described) equally.  If you were beginning a job, you might begin by being “recruited” or “inducted” (unless the job was driving for Uber, in which case you would be “onboarded”).  And if Uber

In recent days, there has been a lot of media coverage of what are beginning to be called “historical” sexual harassment claims alleging harassment by Famous Men.  As some of those Famous Men are starting to respond to this coverage with defamation proceedings, it is unnecessary for us to name any names.  You know who

From time to time, we like to spread the word  of what we do beyond the corners of this website. The word has spread as far as this month’s edition of Australian Dairy Foods Magazine, which includes an article by Angus on what it means to “take the initiative” in relation to the termination of