ByLawyers News and Updates

Non-disclosure – All states

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Non-disclosure agreements and clauses have been added to all By Lawyers guides. These precedents augment the existing Confidentiality Deed and clauses in the Folder of Blank Deeds, Agreements and Statutory Declarations in Folder A. Getting the matter underway on every By Lawyers matter plan.

In general, non-disclosure is passive and unilateral, whereas confidentiality is active and bipartite. The former generally requires a party simply not to reveal or release confidential information, whereas the latter requires a party to take positive steps to keep information secret and safe.

There are also other distinctions to be drawn when dealing with confidential information. Sometimes only one party is to provide confidential information to the other. In other cases, two or more parties propose to exchange it. Sometimes the parties wish only to protect the contents of their agreement, whereas sometimes they wish to protect other specific information relevant to their decision to enter into the agreement, or relevant to the subject matter of the agreement.

The various By Lawyers deeds and agreements and precedent clauses have been revised and enhanced to encompass these distinctions.

The commentary on Deeds and agreements in the Folder of Blank Deeds, Agreements and Statutory Declarations has also been enhanced to cover these points.

Apart from the precedents available in the Folder of Blank Deeds, Agreements and Statutory Declarations, relevant precedents relating to non-disclosure and confidentiality are also located in various guides as required.

Adding these non-disclosure agreements and clauses, and revising the existing confidentiality deeds and clauses, is part of By Lawyers continual commitment to the expansion and enhancement of our content.

Amended precedents:

Deed for general use

Agreement for general use

Confidentiality deed

Confidentiality clause for defined information – All parties

Confidentiality clause for defined information – One party

New precedents:

Non-disclosure agreements – Informal

Non-disclosure agreement – Formal

Confidentiality clause for terms of agreement – All parties

Confidentiality clause for terms of agreement – One party

Elder abuse orders – SA

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Elder abuse orders are now available in the Magistrates Court.

From 1 October 2020 the criminal division of the Magistrates Court has jurisdiction under Part 4 Division 6 of the Ageing and Adult Safeguarding Act 1995 (‘AASA’) in respect to applications by the Director of the Office for Ageing Well for orders preventing elder abuse, as specified in s 33. This extends to varying such an order, as well as proceedings for alleged contraventions of elder abuse orders.

Section 31 of the AASA provides that if the director reasonably suspects that a vulnerable adult is at risk of abuse and that orders are necessary and appropriate to either protect them or allow further investigation, then the director may apply to the Magistrates Court for an interim or final order.

The procedure for such applications is set out in r 79 Magistrates Court Rules 1992.

Anyone affected by an order may be joined to the proceedings and must be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard. Any other interested party as defined under s 36, may apply to be heard in the proceedings; this includes family members and carers.

Contravention of an order under the AASA is a criminal offence, punishable by heavy fines under s 37.

Commentary on elder abuse applications has been added to the By Lawyers SA Criminal and Intervention Orders commentaries.

JobKeeper extension – FED

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The Federal Government has announced another Jobkeeper extension. The payment scheme will continue until 28 March 2021.

Options for flexibility for managing workforce costs, such as reducing working hours continue. Employers are no longer allowed to require employees to take annual leave.

The amendments change the eligibility requirements for employers. Two broad categories of employers have been created: those who qualify for the new scheme after 28 September 2020, referred to as ‘qualifying employers’ and those who previously received at least one payment but no longer qualify, referred to as ‘legacy’ employers.

Qualifying employers

The minimum requirements under this JobKeeper extension remain the same regarding notification and consultation. The By Lawyers example content letters remain available from within the commentary and have been updated where necessary.

Any JobKeeper enabling directions or agreements existing on 27 September 2020 remain valid if the employer continues to qualify for the scheme.

Legacy employers

Legacy employers must have received one or more JobKeeper payments in the period prior to 28 September 2020, but have ceased to qualify. They now need to show a 10% decline in current GST turnover for the previous quarter. They must obtain a ‘10% decline in turnover certificate’ from a financial service provider.

Small business employers may choose to make a statutory declaration instead.

Legacy employers have been given access to modified directions and agreements and have extra notice and consultation requirements. Any existing on 27 September 2020 will need to be reissued or new arrangements made. They may not request an employee to work less than 2 hours per day or less than 60% of their ordinary hours as at 1 March 2020.

The By Lawyers example content letters provide for legacy employers.

The Fair Work Commission has the power to deal with disputes relating to legacy employers and satisfaction of the 10% decline in turnover test.

More information on Jobkeeper extension

The JobKeeper section of the By Lawyers Dealing with COVID-19 Legal Issues – Some practical information commentary has been updated. A link to this helpful resource is available at the top of the matter plan in every By Lawyers guide.

Criminal records – Employment – FED

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Commentary on the disclosure of criminal records by job seekers has been added to the By Lawyers Employment guide. This useful enhancement covers ‘spent’ convictions in all Australian jurisdictions.

Employees and job candidates have rights under state legislation except in Victoria, and also under federal legislation, relating to their employer or prospective employer accessing their criminal records.

Employers normally have the right to conduct criminal record checks on current and prospective employees. This generally does not include ‘lapsed’ or ‘spent’ convictions.

All states, except Victoria, have different legislative schemes for convictions that lapse, commonly known as ‘spent’ convictions. Commonwealth crimes fall under federal legislation which also covers the ACT and the Northern Territory.

These legislative schemes prescribe when certain criminal convictions lapse, after which time they may not be used as a basis for making decisions about a person’s employment. This allows offenders to put their past behind them, provided they have had the required law-abiding period.

For example, under s 85ZV of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), an organisation is prohibited from taking into account or disclosing to others an individual’s past criminal conviction under federal law if it is defined as having lapsed. An individual is not required to disclose such a conviction when applying for employment. A lapsed conviction is defined as an adult conviction more than ten years old, or a juvenile conviction more than five years old. The maximum penalty for the original offence cannot exceed 30 months imprisonment.

There are exceptions, such as where people are applying for jobs that involve working with children.

For further information on ‘spent’ convictions and employment applications see the By Lawyers Employment guide.

Retainer instructions – Practice management – All states

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A folder containing ALL of the By Lawyers Retainer Instructions precedents has been added to the Practice Management guide.

One of the most important tasks when acting in all areas of law is taking the initial instructions. At the commencement of the engagement with the client it is crucial to take accurate, comprehensive instructions covering every necessary aspect of the matter, so the scope of the retainer can be agreed, the issues identified and understood and the client properly advised.

Every By Lawyers matter plan has these Retainer Instructions precedents, drafted and refined by experienced practitioners to make this critical process as efficient as possible. They assist practitioners to obtain all relevant information up-front.

To make it easier to access these key precedents, especially when seeing new clients where a file has not yet been opened, all 123 of them are now available from a dedicated Library of retainer instructions in the By Lawyers Practice Management guide, under Folder A: The Practice.

This enhancement will greatly assist our website subscribers, making all the Retainer Instructions available via a single subscription to the Practice Management guide, at no additional cost. For users accessing By Lawyers via the exclusive arrangements with LEAP Legal Software, the availability of these precedents all together in one guide makes it very easy to save or print the relevant Retainer Instructions for any matter type to use in the initial conference with a client even before a dedicated client file is opened.

JobKeeper – updates – FED

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The Federal Government has further amended the JobKeeper extension. These further changes to our previous post are shown in italics.

The employment stimulus package will continue for a further six months until 28 March 2021.

Amendments

There are changes to employer eligibility for JobKeeper and to the payment rates. The additional six-months is divided into two periods:

  • 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021; and
  • 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021.

Eligible employers will continue to claim a fortnightly payment of $1,500 per eligible employee until 27 September 2020.

Eligible employees will continue to receive a minimum of $1,500 per fortnight before tax from their employer until 27 September 2020.

From 28 September 2020 the payment rates will be reduced.

Eligibility for employers

From 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021 businesses with turnover of less than $1 billion must experience a decline in turnover of 30% for the September 2020 quarter only compared to the equivalent 2019 quarter. The employer must have been in an employment relationship with each eligible employee on 1 March 2020 or 1 July 2020 and needs to confirm that they are currently employed. From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021, the December 2020 quarter only must fall by the relevant percentage compared to the December 2019 quarter.

JobKeeper payment rates

From 28 September to 3 January 2021 for employees who worked 20 hours or more per week on average in February 2020 or June 2020, employers will receive $1,200 per employee fortnightly. These employees must therefore be paid a minimum of $1,200 fortnightly before tax. For employees who worked less than 20 hours per week on average in February 2020 or June 2020, the employers will receive $750 per employee fortnightly. These employees must therefore be paid a minimum of $750 fortnightly before tax.

From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021 the relevant amounts fall from $1,200 to $1,000 and from $750 to $650.

If employees were employed for both February 2020 and June 2020 then the period with the higher number of hours worked is to be used.

More information

The JobKeeper section of the By Lawyers Dealing with COVID-19 Legal Issues – Some practical information commentary has been updated. A link to this helpful resource is available at the top of the matter plan in every By Lawyers guide.

 

JobKeeper – FED

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The Federal Government has confirmed the JobKeeper extension. The employment stimulus package will continue for a further six months until 28 March 2021.

Amendments

There are some changes to employer eligibility for JobKeeper and to the payment rates. The additional six-months is divided into two periods:

  • 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021; and
  • 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021.

Eligible employers will continue to claim a fortnightly payment of $1,500 per eligible employee until 27 September 2020.

Eligible employees will continue to receive a minimum of $1,500 per fortnight before tax from their employer until 27 September 2020.

From 28 September 2020 the payment rates will be reduced.

Eligibility for employers

From 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021 businesses with turnover of less than $1 billion must experience a decline in turnover of 30% for each of the June and September quarters compared to their equivalent 2019 quarters. The employer must have been in an employment relationship with each eligible employee on 1 March 2020 and needs to confirm that they are currently employed. From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021, the December 2020 quarter must also have fallen by the relevant percentage compared to the December 2019 quarter.

JobKeeper payment rates

From 28 September to 3 January 2021 for employees who worked 20 hours or more per week on average in February 2020, employers will receive $1,200 per employee fortnightly. These employees must therefore be paid a minimum of $1,200 fortnightly before tax. For employees who worked less than 20 hours per week on average in February 2020, the employers will receive $750 per employee fortnightly. These employees must therefore be paid a minimum of $750 fortnightly before tax.

From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021 the relevant amounts fall from $1,200 to $1,000 and $750 to $650.

More information

The JobKeeper section of the By Lawyers Dealing with COVID-19 Legal Issues – Some practical information commentary has been updated. A link to this helpful resource is available at the top of the matter plan in every By Lawyers guide.

Electronic conveyancing – SA

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From 3 August 2020, electronic conveyancing takes a big step forward in South Australia.

From that date, electronic lodgement of the following documents with Land Services SA will be mandatory:

  • Transfer
  • Caveat
  • Withdrawal of Caveat
  • Encumbrance
  • Discharge of Encumbrance
  • Transmission Application
  • Application to Register Death by Survivor
  • Lease
  • Surrender of Lease
  • Underlease
  • Surrender of Underlease
  • Transfer of Mortgage
  • Transfer of Encumbrance.

There are now two Electronic Lodgement Network Operators (ELNOs) active in South Australia – Sympli and PEXA. Sympli have been approved for transfers, caveats, withdrawal of caveats, mortgages and discharge of mortgages in SA. Practitioners can use either or both for their electronic conveyancing requirements.

 

HomeBuilder scheme

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From 4 June 2020, a $25,000 grant is available to certain individuals who build a new home or substantially renovate an existing home. The grant cannot be used to buy an existing house and is limited to Australian citizens earning less than $125,000 or couples earning less than $200,000.

The value of new builds is capped at $750,000. For renovations, the home must be worth less than $1.5 million before the renovation, and projects must cost between $150,000 and $750,000.

The building contract must be signed between 4 June 2020 and 31 December 2020, and work must commence within three months of the contract date.

Applications will be through the relevant revenue department once the necessary agreements have been signed by the State and Commonwealth Governments.

The By Lawyers Purchase Guides have been updated accordingly.

Staff handbook – All states

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The By Lawyers 101 Policies & Procedures guide has been re-named 101 Staff Handbook.

101 Staff Handbook is part of the By Lawyers Practice Management publication.

The handbook provides numerous policies and procedures to assist with management of a legal practice. These can be adopted or adapted by the firm as required.

Practitioners can also use this resource to assist their commercial clients with implementing appropriate policies and procedures in their businesses.

The extensive, practical content in the handbook covers all areas of legal practice. It includes the following most recent additions:

  • Managing client communications – Policies and procedures covering all aspects of firm communications including phone, email and written correspondence, plus a comprehensive complaint handling procedure.
  • Confidential information – A policy on protection of confidential information, which includes breaches.
  • Intellectual property – A simple policy for protecting the firm’s existing IP and dealing with any new IP created by team members in the course of their employment.
  • Working from home – A policy which clarifies the rights and obligations of team members and the firm in relation to working from home arrangements.

 

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