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Suspension
An employer may decide to suspend an employee temporarily from work if they are involved in a disciplinary situation, or for maternity or medical reasons. Usually an employee who is suspended is entitled to their normal pay during their suspension.
Early Conciliation
The Labour Relations Agency provides an Early Conciliation service following a change in NI employment law which took effect on 27 January 2020. This service helps to resolve workplace disputes in a legally binding way, without the need to take a case to the Industrial or Fair Employment Tribunal. Click below for more information or to make an Early Conciliation notification.
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.
Right to work in Northern Ireland
It is important that an employer checks that a job applicant is allowed to work in the UK before they can employ them. An employer could face a civil penalty if they employ an illegal worker and have not carried out a correct right to work check.
Employers must check the applicant's identity and nationality and make sure that they have the relevant immigration permission or visa in place.
No 93 The Shared Parental Leave Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
These Regulations come into operation on 15/3/15 and by way of summary the Shared Parental Leave Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“the Leave Regulations”), in association with the Statutory Shared Parental Pay (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“the Pay Regulations”) provide an entitlement for a mother/adopter and a child’s father/adoptive parent or a mother’s or adopter’s partner to take shared parental leave and pay.
Bullying and harassment
Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect at work. Bullying or harassment of any kind should not be tolerated.
No.47 The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008
This Order, increases as of 2/3/08, the limits applying to certain awards of Industrial Tribunals, and other amounts payable under employment legislation.
No. 62 The Statutory Maternity Pay (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005
These Regulations amend the 1987 Regulations to provide for continuity of employment in respect of a dismissal where a woman commences a statutory dispute resolution procedure and as a consequence of the procedure is reinstated or re-engaged by her employer (on or after 6/4/05).
No. 421 Fair Employment (specification of public authorities) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
This Order amends the 2000 Order of the same name which specifies a number of persons or bodies as public authorities for certain purposes under the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 and provides for the persons who are to be treated for such purposes as employees of some of these authorities (see schedules).
Contractor versus Employee versus Worker
Employees, workers and contractors have different rights and responsibilities.