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Volunteers
A volunteer is not an employee or a worker and does not have an employment contract.
Sharp rise in redundancy enquiries to the Labour Relations Agency
Our Workplace Information Service have observed a notable surge in enquiries from both employees and employers regarding redundancy.
Employee representatives
Employees who act as representatives for consultation about redundancies or business transfers, or are candidates to be representatives of this kind, are entitled to reasonable time off with pay during working hours to perform these functions and to receive appropriate training.
Restraint of Trade
Restraint of trade, also known as ‘restrictive covenants’ help organisations to protect themselves against competitors getting access to their confidential or commercially sensitive information.
Personal grievances
Grievances are concerns, problems or complaints that employees may raise with their employers.
Pay Rates at a glance - April 2024 - March 2025
Each April sees the increase to the National Living and Minimum Wage rates, and other statutory rates of pay
The tables below show the current rates applicable for the above, and the revised rates which will apply from April 2024.
If you have any queries regarding these matters, please feel free to contact our Workplace Information Service on 03300 555 300
Estimating the costs of workplace conflict in Northern Ireland
Workplace conflict has a negative impact on organisational performance and the working experiences of those involved. Research commissioned by the Labour Relations Agency on workplace conflict in Northern Ireland suggests that disputes took up valuable time and eroded organisational culture.
These challenges have arguably become more acute in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic with pressure on recruitment, retention, engagement and productivity.
However, leaders and policymakers may underestimate the strategic importance of managing conflict at work. Conflict management is often unseen – taking place in the shadows and behind closed doors. Until recently, lack of visibility has been exacerbated by a lack of robust data. This analysis of the costs of workplace conflict in Northern Ireland finds that 37% of workers experience conflict each year at a cost of £851m.
The report in full can be found below, while our podcast on the topic can also be found here.
Leave for Flexible working hearings
Parents of children under the age of seventeen (or disabled children under the age of eighteen) and carers of adults have the right to apply to their employer to work more flexibly.
Pension scheme trustees and directors of trustee companies
Employees who are trustees of an occupational pension scheme (as defined in Section 1 of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993) or directors of trustee companies are entitled to reasonable time off with pay to carry out any of their trustee’s duties, or to receive training relevant to those duties.
Working Time Regulations
In addition to the rights outlined around qualifying periods, a number of other rights and responsibilities exist. These relate to rest breaks, the number of hours a worker can be required to work and paid leave.