Parental Communication Paramount Words by head of Family Law- Warren Tegg

Most separating parents want an ongoing and meaningful relationship with their children. They will, after all, be parents for life. But what is the key to parenting effectively, while living in separate houses? Parents will often each have different ideas regarding parenting, but that does not mean that one or the other parent is wrong, they are just different. And the differences are to be celebrated – those differences provide the children with two separate, and not necessarily opposing, viewpoints. In order for a shared parenting agreement to work, these two people have to find a way to work with their differences. Firstly, children are very intelligent, they know when a weakness or difference of opinion appears in the approach being taken by their parents. Anyone with children will know they will play these two parents against each other to gain an outcome they see as beneficial to themselves. This play off isn’t overtly selfish. Very young children will, early in the break-up, state to both parents that they don’t want to go to the other. This has nothing to do with choosing one parent over the other. This break-up is very unsettling for the child, so the child may seek the exact same loving and caring response from both their parents to make themselves feel safe. It is important for parents to recognise this and be able to maintain a basic and civil level of communication, just to protect themselves from being exploited. It is helpful for the children for them to focus, not on the differences, but basics that perhaps they substantially agree upon. This way they can support one another in parenting decisions – provided same are basic to the child’s welfare and do not create any risk to the children. The Court considers the parent’s ability to talk to one another about their children to be of paramount importance when looking at a co-parenting regime. It is deemed by the law to be in the children’s best interests that parents share the responsibility for the children’s care, but this becomes impossible if the two parents cannot cooperate together on some level. Being able to speak to one another civilly and make decisions about your children, even when you do not entirely agree with the other party, is of fundamental importance if it is your goal to be a share parent. Celebrate your different views, they introduce the children to diversity of thought! Agreeing on a set of basics you can live with, will lead to happier and more effective parenting.

Is an employee entitled to compensation for injuries sustained while working flexibly from home?

Employers in recent years are more inclined to grant employees flexible work arrangements including working from home. The result is that many employees are not restricted to traditional physical locations such as an office. Recent cases have shined a light on the laws surrounding these arrangements and the conflict with worker’s compensation for injuries.

For employers, the flexibility granted to employees comes with some degree of risk. The careful controls and Workplace Health and Safety procedures employers invest significant resources to implement around the office may not be suited to a home environment where the risks of injury are outside their control.

The important question is whether the injury arises out of or in connection with the course of employment. This includes injuries which are sustained;

1. While physically in the place of employment, or
2. While temporarily absent from the place of employment for an ordinary recess, for example a regular or scheduled break.

If an employee takes a “frolic”, for example by going for a run in the middle of the day, this is not an ordinary recess. Other examples of frolics include;

• Where an employee courier driver deviates from the route the employer planned for them,
• Where an employee goes somewhere the employer told them not to go, and
• Where an employee takes more breaks than the employer prescribes.

The take-home message (sorry, couldn’t resist!) is that simply because employees are granted flexible working arrangements, they are not necessary entitled to compensation for injuries that arise while working flexibly from home.

A lesson for employers is to ensure adequate controls are established for the employee’s home environment. We advise clients that this is best accomplished by giving the employee 

Seeking healthy relationships with family , friends , neighbours and work colleagues?

Written by Family Law Head of Department, Warren Tegg.

I’m constantly negotiating. I represent people in dispute. They may fall foul of the law or be in dispute with a competitor, customer or supplier in business. My task is to negotiate an outcome. My work in Matrimonial or Commercial negotiation is assisted by an  understanding  the personalities I deal with. First I must understand my own. I learned that I am a strong personality,  a “powerful choleric” inBriggs Myers experts terms an “A” type. I say  “We work as a team and do it my way “ ! “Powerful choleric comes from  American psychologist (Florence Littauer). She simplifies a  personality test into two pages of strengths and weaknesses you identify. The result is a guide to  your own  blend of personality traits. Her work in  “Personality Plus” is both instructive and entertaining. You will be elated  to discover that you possess your own distinctive personality type and that, for instance , it is OK not to be like your partner. Step 1 shows how you view the world. Time to learn  how others view it. The brevity of this column prevents  a detailed explanation but people  are a combination of four personality types: Strong leader; Organised and meticulous Sanguine party animal; Easygoing Peacemaker Strong  leaders are great in a crisis. They know what to do next and will  make the decision. They do need organized help to actually carry out the decision. Some 37 % of people would rather do the job than make the decision. The world needs party people for  fun and gentle peacemakers to offset the decision makers. Opposites attract so Leaders seek organized peacemakers and vice versa. Party animals are great fun but they’ll forget to bring everything they need and don’t plan at all. Organized people may have trouble with spontaneity. And those seeking harmony may have trouble with  practicality. One part of a healthy relationship is understanding that our partner, co-worker or neighbor  views the world differently. Consideration of their personality in getting our message across makes communication effective. Understanding these differences will lead to healthier relationships.