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What we do
The Labour Relations Agency provides free, impartial and confidential services to employers, employer bodies, employees and workers in Northern Ireland, as well as Trade Unions, HR and legal professionals.
Contractor versus Employee versus Worker
Employees, workers and contractors have different rights and responsibilities.
Latest News
Keep up to date with the latest in employment relations in Northern Ireland
Contracts of employment
Employers must provide a contract of employment which sets out the terms and conditions of employment.
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.
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.
Ending employment
When employment contracts end through resignation, retirement, dismissal or redundancy, there are rights and responsibilities for both the employer and employee.
10X REASONS (AND MORE) FOR GOOD EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS – A CONFERENCE
On Thursday 23 February 2023, we hosted our “10X Reasons and More for Good Employment Relations in NI” conference at Titanic Belfast.
This major stakeholder conference brought together employers, HR professionals, trade unionists and others to explore how we create a framework of best practice that will help turn the vision for a 10X economy into a reality through good employment relations.
Included on this page are some of the highlights of the event
Agency worker
An agency worker is someone who is supplied by an employment business/agency to work for the hirer under a contract of employment or other such contract as agreed between the employment business/agency and the hirer.