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Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
Women expecting a baby who satisfy the qualifying conditions are entitled to a maximum of 39 weeks SMP.
Employee engagement
Employee engagement plays a crucial role in the success of any organisation. It goes beyond the surface level of job satisfaction and encompasses the emotional and psychological connection that an employee has with their work and their workplace. Engaged employees are not just committed to their job, but they are also invested in the values of their organisation. They are more likely to put in discretionary effort, go the extra mile, and take ownership of their work, leading to improved performance and productivity.
Describing the job
A job description should be an outline of the purpose of the job, its main tasks and duties as well as more general information such as health and safety responsibilities.
Economy Minister welcomes new legislation to protect Northern Ireland workers
Economy Minister Diane Dodds has welcomed new employment legislation which will benefit workers across Northern Ireland.
The Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 extends protections against detriment in health and safety cases to workers in relation to any action they may take to protect themselves or others where they reasonably believe there is serious and imminent danger in their place of work.
It will come into operation on 31 May 2021. At present, these protections cover only employees.
The Order must be approved by a resolution of the Assembly within six months of coming into operation. It must therefore be confirmed on or before 31 November 2021.
The move has its origins in a Judicial Review brought by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain against the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain.
A High Court Judgment was published in November which directed that the Health and Safety Framework Directive and the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Directive should apply to a wider group of workers, not just employees.
Minister Dodds said: “This Order is about more than about responding appropriately to the decision of a High Court ruling. It will also give clarity to business and individuals.
“As businesses emerge from lockdown, everyone will need to be protected during the transition back to the workplace.
“This Order will allow some of our most vulnerable workers the legal protection they need to act to ensure their own safety and the safety of others without fear of suffering detriment for doing the right thing. This includes protecting them against being denied promotion or training opportunities.”
Gender pay gap
The gender pay gap measures the difference between average (median) hourly earnings of men and women, usually shown by the percentage men earn more than women.
Piece worker
Piece workers are paid for the work that they produce rather than the number of hours worked.
Bullying and harassment
Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect at work. Bullying or harassment of any kind should not be tolerated.
Trade Union duties and activities
An employee who is an official of an independent trade union which is recognised by the employer must be allowed reasonable time off with pay during working hours to:
Whistleblowing
The Public Interest Disclosure (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 protects those who report serious wrongdoing in the workplace from dismissal or detrimental treatment as a result of their whistleblowing.
Bereavement Leave
Employees are sometimes entitled to paid bereavement leave if someone close to them dies. All employees are entitled to reasonable time off without pay to arrange or attend the funeral of a dependant.