infographic_financial-advice-helps-you-achieve-more

Financial advice helps you achieve more

Whatever you want to do, you’re more likely to do it with the help of some sound financial advice.

We all have something we’d like to be doing more of. It could be spending more time on hobbies, less time at work and more time raising a family, more time travelling the world or reducing working hours as we get closer to retirement.

One thing we all want to make sure of is that we have a steady income stream to make the most of what we really want to do – now and in retirement.

That’s where the power of financial advice has been proven to help those with a goal achieve what they want.

Of those who set goals with a financial adviser, 86% said financial advice helped them achieve their goals.*

This key insight came to light in a groundbreaking survey of over 12,000 Australians in conjunction with CoreData. It found the benefits of financial advice helped no matter your age, wealth or gender.

So, if you want to achieve your very own goal and have a comfortable life, it’s more likely to happen with some financial advice.

We can provide you with professional advice for your financial planning needs. Call us today to arrange a meeting.

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General Advice Warning

The information contained on this website is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser.

Mark O’Connell, Robin Bell and Allan Hall Financial Planning Pty Ltd are Authorised Representatives of Consultum Financial Advisers Pty Ltd ABN 65 006 373 995 AFSL 230323.

Source

*IOOF Survey 2020: The True Value of Advice – A study of 12,643 Australians is an Authorised Representative of Lonsdale Financial Group, ABN 76 006 637 225, AFSL No 246934. This is general advice only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. Before acting on this advice, you should consult a financial adviser.

NSW Small Business Recovery Grant

NSW Small Business Fees and Charges Rebate Upgrade

NSW Small Business Fees and Charges Rebate

As part of the Economic Recovery Strategy, the NSW Government has:

  • announced that the small business fees and charges rebate will increase from $1,500 to $2,000
  • added road user tolls for business vehicles as an eligible fee for businesses to claim as part of the rebate

The rebate is provided in the form of a digital credit, which businesses can draw down on to offset the cost of eligible NSW and local government fees and charges.

Small businesses will be able to claim road user tolls under the Small Business Fees and Charges Rebate, which is being increased from $1,500 to $2,000 from November 2021.

The digital credit for businesses that have already signed up to the rebate will be automatically increased from $1,500 to $2,000.

The rebate will be available until 30 June 2022. Businesses can claim the rebate against invoices that were due and paid from 1 March 2021. Check what fees and charges are available on the Service NSW website. 

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Please be aware that there is a high level of scamming activity around COVID-19 rules and regulations and, in particular, grants and relief. These scams are increasingly sophisticated and many involve impersonation such that they may appear to come from legitimate advisors (such as Allan Hall).

At Allan Hall, we will never request money upfront, deposits, transfers to personal accounts, payments via gift cards or other unexpected or unusual payment methods. If in any doubt, contact us via phone before taking actions that appear to be at the request of Allan Hall.

COVID-19 employee vaccinations

COVID-19 employee vaccinations

COVID-19 Vaccinations for employees

The Fair Work Ombudsman has released additional guidance to employers on the circumstances in which it could be appropriate to require their employees to be vaccinated. 

See link: https://coronavirus.fairwork.gov.au/coronavirus-and-australian-workplace-laws/covid-19-vaccinations-and-the-workplace/covid-19-vaccinations-workplace-rights-and-obligations#lawful-and-reasonable-directions-to-get-vaccinated

Employers can only require their employees to be vaccinated where:

  • a specific law (including the public health orders) requires an employee to be vaccinated
  • the requirement is permitted by an enterprise agreement, other registered agreement or employment contract, or
  • it would be lawful and reasonable for an employer to give their employees a direction to be vaccinated, which is assessed on a case-by-case basis. 

As to whether or not a direction is reasonable requires a case-by-case assessment based on factors which include:

  • the nature of the workplace (are employees in public-facing roles and is the business an essential service?)
  • The extent of community transmission in the location of the workplace, including the risk of transmission of the Delta variant
  • WHS obligations and the effectiveness of vaccines
  • Each employee’s circumstances including if there is a legitimate reason not to get vaccinated
  • Vaccine availability

To guide employers in the case by case assessment, the Fair Work Ombudsman has divided workplaces into four tiers:

  • Tier 1 work where employees are required as part of their duties to interact with people with an increased risk of being infected with coronavirus (for example, employees working in hotel quarantine or border control).
  • Tier 2 work where employees are required to have close contact with people who are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of coronavirus (for example, employees working in health care or aged care).
  • Tier 3 work where there is interaction or likely interaction between employees and other people such as customers, other employees or the public in the normal course of employment (for example, stores providing essential goods and services).
  • Tier 4 work where employees have minimal face-to-face interaction as part of their normal employment duties (for example, where they are working from home).

As you would be aware from our recent article, the NSW Government has imposed a number of restrictions to combat COVID-19 including making specific public health orders which require workers in certain industries to have had a vaccination (or have an exemption) in order to work.

From 11 August 2021, additional restrictions were imposed on employees from “areas of concern” which are currently the local government areas of Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta and some suburbs of Penrith. To keep up to date with changes to the public health orders and updates to the local government “areas of concern” go to  https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/affected-area#summary-of-restrictions.

Construction industry

Since 31 July 2021, work has been allowed to resume on construction sites in Greater Sydney including in local government areas of concern. However, construction sites in local government areas of concern must comply with a number of requirements listed here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/construction-rules-and-restrictions#rules-for-construction-sites.

One of the requirements is that from 11 August 2021 workers who live in or are temporarily staying in a local government area of concern must comply with vaccination requirements in order to work at or enter a construction site in Greater Sydney. A person from these areas must not enter or remain at a construction site in Greater Sydney unless they have:

  • had 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or
  • had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before Wednesday 21 July 2021 or
  • had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine after Wednesday 21 July 2021 and you have been tested for COVID-19 in the past 72 hours (3 days) or
  • evidence of a medical exemption and you have been tested for COVID-19 in the past 72 hours.

If a person is required to have a COVID-19 test to enter or remain at a construction site, they must have a COVID-19 test once every 72 hours.

Construction workers can request a COVID-19 vaccination exemption for medical reasons.

Further information in relation to the evidence requirements is here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/covid-19-vaccination-nsw/covid-19-vaccination-for-workers.

Other industries

There are also vaccination requirements for quarantine facilities, transport providers and airport workers.  Further information is available here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/covid-19-vaccination-nsw/covid-19-vaccination-for-workers

Residential Aged Care

From 17 September 2021, COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for all residential aged care workers. For further information see: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/information-for-aged-care-providers-workers-and-residents-about-covid-19-vaccines/information-for-residential-aged-care-workers-about-covid-19-vaccines.

Assisting your employees to get vaccinated

The NSW Government has released a number of resources for businesses to use to encourage their employees to get vaccinated and to ensure that employees have access to accurate information on the vaccination program.

The information is available here: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/covid-19-vaccination-business-kit#information-sheets.

Allan Hall HR will continue to provide updated information about managing vaccinations in workplaces and keep you apprised of changes to the COVID-19 restrictions which impact you and your employees.  If you need advice and assistance in relation to the specific circumstances in your workplace, please get in touch with our team on 1300 675 393.