Read publication Welcome to the 20th edition of the Asia Pacific Insurance Newsletter. This edition covers insights, pertinent insurance-specific legal issues and significant regulatory developments in Australia, China/Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam. If you missed earlier editions of this newsletter, you can access our newsletter…
The Fair Work Commission has found that an employer’s decision to not provide an employee with an at-home desk did not mean that the employee had no option but to resign from his job. The employee alleged that he was constructively dismissed when, as part of Victoria’s stage 3 coronavirus restrictions, his employer directed him to work from home but refused to provide him with or pay for a desk at his home. The Commission held that the employee could have purchased a desk himself or borrowed one from a friend.
This decision demonstrates that while employers should provide adequate equipment to allow employees to work from home, there will be a limit on what needs to be provided. Employers should assess what is reasonable and necessary on a case by case basis when requiring an employee to work from home.
Regulators around the world are responding quickly to the rapidly evolving financial technology, or fintech, landscape. As new…
The Australian Government has proposed welcome changes to the R&D tax incentive with effect from 1 July 2021, although without entirely retreating from its hotly debated proposed reforms (which the Senate Economics Legislation Committee is due to report on by 12 October).
This alert outlines the latest changes made to the labour market testing rules under the Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage and Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa schemes.
The new changes now require a minimum of two advertisements for the nominated position. One of the job advertisements must be posted on the Department of Employment’s recruitment website, Job Active (http://www.jobactive.gov.au).
In brief The Supreme Court of Victoria has found liquidators can be made personally liable for clean-up costs…
Baker McKenzie’s Duties and Liabilities of Directors of Australian Companies is a comprehensive and timely guide for directors of Australian companies. Newly launched in September 2020, it reflects key issues for directors to consider in the current corporate governance landscape, while outlining their core legal obligations. Matters covered in this guide include…
Singapore updated its strategic goods control regime on 3 August 2020 to ensure robust administration of controls and effective risk assessments, while ensuring the facilitation of legitimate trade. Key amendments include ensuring individual and bulk permit holders have access to English translations for strategic trade records kept in other languages. For bulk permit holders, expanded document categories under recordkeeping requirements and monthly reporting will apply. A new offence has also been created for failing to amend permits in the event that information submitted under initial permit application processes subsequently change.
There is no denying we were all caught off-guard by the speed and force with which COVID-19 struck every aspect of Australian life. As some parts of the country slowly begin to emerge from COVID-19 restrictions (albeit uncertainly), our attention inevitably turns to the question: “what can we learn for next time?”
Many sentimental answers are sure to be proffered by feel-good television specials over the coming months. While we won’t claim to be experts in “feel-good”, here in the employment team at Baker McKenzie, what we have become well-versed in is the range of practical challenges that COVID-19 has posed to our clients as they have attempted to manage their workforce through this time of change.
With that in mind, we have set out below our tips to help ensure your organisation is best prepared for whatever the next COVID-19 may be.
On the 8th of July, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) released its Decision Impact Statement (DIS) on the Full Federal Court decision of Greig v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] FCAFC 25.
This client alert provides an overview of the Greig decision and considers the impact of the decision on significant individual shareholders.