UGL
News and interviews on UGL including trends, features, blogs and community conversations from an Australian business perspective.
National rules best for franchisingMonday, 15 November 2010
Things are never dull in Australia's franchise sector. In the last few years, the industry has seen three separate Parliamentary inquiries, changes to the national Franchising Code, some ugly collapses (most notable Kleins and Kleenmaid) – and all the while, ...
Benefits of the small business code in the FWA
Tuesday, 09 November 2010
Small business is starting to see the benefits of the small business code in the Fair Work Act (FWA). The FWA has a more generous approach to both the process and threshold tests for summary dismissal. Small businesses (ie. businesses with less than 15 full-time ...
Allied Brand’s losing battle
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
It’s not hard to feel just a little sorry for Allied Brands chief executive Sean Corbin, who this morning was given the horrible task of putting his company into administration. ...
Figures reveal three quarters of unfair dismissal conciliations ended with employers paying cash to staff
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Figures from Fair Work Australia have revealed that three quarters of the unfair dismissal claims conciliated involved employers paying a financial settlement to former staff. ...
Why David Jones’ harassment policy didn’t work – and how your policy should
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Unquestionably too much has been written and speculated upon in the DJs sexual harassment case. You may recall SmartCompany's early coverage was right on the money. So much in the workplace is predictable to the trained eye. ...
Facebook & employers: the double edged sword
Tuesday, 05 October 2010
There is little doubt Facebook is a double-edge sword for employers. While many companies are using the site to communicate with customers and build sales, it has also become clear the world's leading social media site is a place where anything can and will ...
Amber Fergusson
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Today on SmartCompany we are talking to Amber Fergusson, one half of the husband-and-wife team behind Carbon Management Solutions, which recently took out the top prize for fast growth in our Smart50 awards with growth of 453% over the past three years. ...
ASIC moves to liquidate tax return websites over claims customer money was used to buy holiday house
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
The corporate watchdog has won Federal Court orders to appoint liquidators to two companies that purported to assist taxpayers get a tax return, after claims that tax returns owed to customers had been used to buy a holiday house in Port Douglas. ...
Abandoning the adverse action
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Many businesses struggle with what is unfair, unlawful, constructive and summary dismissal. The one common thread is that it is termination or deemed termination by the employer. Termination or deemed termination by the employer, in some circumstances, may ...
Dollar dramas
Monday, 13 September 2010
One of the negative side effects of having an economy that is the envy of the world is rising interest rates. While the RBA decided to leave official rates on hold last week, bond markets are betting rates will soon be on the way up, and that has had the effect ...
A tale of two conferences
Monday, 13 September 2010
At Indaba in Cape Town, one of the world's largest mining conferences, I met an unusual delegate. Amidst all the mining executives, engineers and government representatives discussing the resources industry, there was Darren Beazley, an executive with the AFL's ...
Learning to see the real value of OHS
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
There is a very simply reason why OHS experts have become such key members of a company's advisory and risk management network – these are people who indentify huge risk and then find simple ways to solve them. ...
Family feuds
Monday, 30 August 2010
It's been the hottest courtroom drama of the Los Angeles summer. ...
Fair Work Ombudsman fines increase 20% as experts call for more education for SMEs
Monday, 23 August 2010
Experts say businesses need more education on how the Fair Work regime actually works if they are to be expected to avoid aggressive penalties, after data from the Fair Work Ombudsman showed a 20% rise in the level of fines issued by the workplace watchdog. ...
Lessons from 10 business disasters
Monday, 23 August 2010
The saga that enveloped the Direct Factory Outlets chain and its wealthy owners David Goldberger, David Wieland and Graeme Samuels, has once again underlined the warning that should be used for an Australia-wide business safety campaign: debt kills. ...
The post-election IR landscape will be the same, but worse – and no one cares: Douglas
Friday, 20 August 2010
There's only one day to go until we are confronted by two major parties determined to present a small target. It's a ploy adopted historically by those who have substantial baggage, little to offer and are often kept alive by the natal chord of incumbency. ...
Entrepreneur Shane Yeend claims lack of bank support forced him to sell popular board game titles for $24 million
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Adelaide-based game maker Imagine Entertainment has been forced to sell two of its popular board game titles to a Canadian toy company for $24 million after Westpac reduced the company's banking facilities so drastically that corporate activity practically ...
Is your website an online nightmare?
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Australia, it's time to get real about the internet. ...
RBA unlikely to raise rates, economic outlook stable: Economy Roundup
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
The chance of another interest rate rise occurring in September appears low, with the Reserve Bank of Australia explaining in its latest minutes that its global outlook remains unchanged. ...
Last minute negotiations to save Direct Factory Outlets continue, but traders remain calm
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Last minute negotiations to prevent Direct Factory Outlet's South Wharf shopping centre from being placed in the hands of receivers are continuing, but traders at the centre are putting on a brave face, saying they are confident the centre can succeed. ...
