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The rights and responsibilities involved when it comes to Redundancy (HTML)
For redundancy to be fair there must be a genuine need for redundancy and the employer must follow a fair process in carrying it out. Where there are many employees involved, trade unions and employees should be consulted properly.
Before beginning any redundancy (and during the consultation process), an employer should think about whether it can avoid making redundancies or reduce the number of redundancies. Employers also need to carefully think about how the employees will be chosen for redundancy. If they don’t, they may face claims of unfair dismissal.
The way that staff are chosen should be fair and follow an agreed selection process if the organisation has one. If there isn’t an agreed process in place, the employer must make sure there is no discrimination, that staff are chosen fairly, and in a way that can be checked.
Temporary lay-off and short-time working
From time to time employers may experience a temporary shortage of work and it may be necessary to lay-off all or some of their employees in order to preserve long term employment security. If temporary lay-off is being considered there are important aspects of employment and contract law to take into account.
Deductions from pay - employees
If the amount you have been paid differs from what is expected, speak with your employer first to check what has happened. Your employer can then either correct the mistake or explain why there is a change in your pay.
Fair Employment (School Teachers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022
This legislation was enacted by the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2022 and came into effect on 12th May 2024.
From this date, it will be unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of religious or philosophical belief or political opinion in respectof the recruitment or promotion of teachers in schools in Northern Ireland.
Prior to 2003, FETO, and its predecessors, did not prohibit discrimination on the grounds of religious or philosophical belief or political opinion in relation to any aspect of the employment of school teachers. That was due to the effects of article 71 of FETO, commonly known as the teachers’ exception.
This situation changed through a process that began in 2003 when an EU equality law, Council Directive 2000/78/EC, required the exception to be modified and
narrowed. As a result, and since then, FETO has prohibited discrimination on its equality grounds in relation to most aspects of the employment of teachers in
schools; e.g. in relation to pay, training, absence and performance management,
dismissal, harassment.
Despite that change, FETO’s prohibition of discrimination did not apply to the recruitment or promotion of teachers in schools due to the continuing effects of one part of the article 71 exception that remained.
The remaining gap in coverage was filled on 12 May 2024 with the inrtoduction of this legislation.
Bank holiday confirmed for Queen Elizabeth's funeral - guidance for employers and employees
Following the death of the Queen, a period of national mourning was announced and it will continue until the end of the day of the state funeral, Monday 19 September 2022.
There is no obligation on organisations to suspend business during the mourning period. Guidance on this can be found on the GOV.UK website here.
However, a special bank holiday has been confirmed on the day of the state funeral, Monday, 19 September 2022.
The guidance below explains how leave for special bank holidays should be handled by employers.
Joint Newsletter between the Labour Relations Agency and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland January 2013
Welcome to the Third edition of the joint Equality Commission and Labour Relations Agency Newsletter. In this edition we will cover some of the key issues that are likely to affect or be of interest to you, our readers, in relation to what is happening in the field of employment and equality law from a local Northern Ireland perspective.
Joint Newsletter between the Labour Relations Agency and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland January 2015
Welcome to the Fifth edition of the joint Equality Commission and Labour Relations Agency Newsletter. In this edition we will cover some of the key issues that are likely to affect or be of interest to you, our readers, in relation to what is happening in the field of employment and equality law from a local Northern Ireland perspective.
No 302 The Labour Relations Agency Arbitration Scheme (Jurisdiction) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012
This Order utilises the power vested in the Department for Employment and Learning to permit the Labour Relations Agency to prepare an arbitration scheme for dealing with disputes which are or could become the subject of industrial tribunal proceedings.
Disciplinary matters
February 2016
This Information Note provides guidance on general principles in relation to discipline. It is not a substitute for the Agency’s Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.
192 (C.9) Employment Rights (Time off for Study and Training) (1998 Order)(Commencement) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000
This Order brings into operation on 1/9/00 the provisions of the Employment Rights (Time off for study or training) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998.