Firm trading as Unfair Dismissals Direct allegedly dudded clients who won pay outs

Authorities have issued a rare ‘public warning notice’ about a company that billed itself as a no win, no fee service for people fighting unfair dismissal.

Losing your job is stressful enough. For those who believe they have been turfed out unfairly, it’s even worse.

That burden has allegedly been intensified for a raft of workers by consultancy outfit Dismissals Direct Pty Ltd, which trades as Unfair Dismissals Direct.

The ACCC issued a rare “public warning notice” on Monday about the conduct of the company, which acted as a “no win, no fee’’ advocate for clients seeking redress from employers before the Fair Work Commission.

ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court

The consumer watchdog revealed it had received 18 complaints from consumers since May 2018 that the company failed to pay them post-fee settlement moneys after claims were resolved.

ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said there were “reasonable grounds to suspect that Unfair Dismissals Direct may have engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct, and made false or misleading representations’’.

SCATHING REVIEWS

Corporate records show Dismissals Direct Pty Ltd was launched in 2016 by a bloke named John Malcolm Bingham, the sole director and owner who established offices in Brisbane and other capital cities.

The company, which does not dispense legal services, also trades under the banners of Unfair Terminations and Unfair Terminations Australia.

A now-defunct website for the group claimed it had handled more than 500 cases and had an 80 per cent success rate.

But consumer feedback on several websites is overwhelmingly negative.

There are plenty of scathing posts about how it allegedly dealt with clients, who were provided with “free confidential assessments’’ as part of the process.

ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said there were “reasonable grounds to suspect that Unfair Dismissals Direct may have engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct.

“As soon as payment was made I never heard from them or was able to reach them again,’’ one former client claimed.

“They took money from my case and I never received a cent,” another worker alleged.

“They fail to return calls or emails and I know they have received the payment from the case as I was sent a receipt by my ex-employer.’’

Not all consumers had a bad experience, with one saying she dealt with “a friendly and approachable team who seemed to really care about my case’’.

Bingham did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment on Monday.

He also runs legal practice Limestone Law, which bills itself as having a focus on workplace relations and employment law advice.

NEW LOOK

A reconstituted Brisbane Greeters program, complete with new uniform, kicks off from Friday. Volunteers showing off the River City to visitors will now be clad in blue and gold shirts, replacing the old red ones.

Brisbane greeters are ready to hit the streets again, but not in red shirts.

The popular program, which was first launched in 2012, was canned earlier this year as a part of a drastic budget-cutting shake-up at Brisbane Marketing (now rebadged as the Brisbane Economic Development Agency).

With borders now reopened and an influx of travellers expected for the holidays, the timing seems spot on.

SWEET SPOT

Queensland farmers are ending the year in something of a sweet spot, with a spike in those expecting a brighter 2021.

The latest survey of the sector found 37 per cent of the state’s producers believe agricultural economic conditions will improve, up from 23 per cent last quarter.

The rural confidence study, conducted by agribusiness mob Rabobank, suggested a combination of spring rains, strong commodity prices and an upbeat seasonal outlook has helped restore confidence.