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Keep up to date with the Labour Relations Agency
Keep up to date with the latest news and events around workplace relations in Northern Ireland
Who is an employee?
There are differences between ‘employees’, ‘workers’ and ‘contractors’. These differences in status can affect rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
Conciliation services
We offer free conciliation services to help parties involved in a workplace dispute to come to a legally binding resolution, without needing to go through a public tribunal. We offer both individual conciliation and collective conciliation, for example where an issue affects a number of employees.
Potential Problems at Christmas Time
The Labour Relations Agency Workplace Information Service receives enquiries every Christmas from businesses with questions and problems.
To help you prepare and avoid potential issues we have compiled some frequently asked questions which we receive each Christmas season.
Purpose
Our purpose is to improve employment relations, promote best employment practice and resolve workplace disputes through the delivery of high quality, impartial and independent services.
Rights and responsibilities
Both employers and employees have certain rights and responsibilities towards each other. Some will apply to everyone in the workplace, while others will be dependent on the individual’s working status.
Steps to resolve
When there is an issue in the workplace, employers and employees have a number of options and steps they can take to resolve it, ranging from informal conversations to formal processes and procedures.
Health & Safety at Work
Employers have a duty to protect their employees and visitors from harm. They must do risk assessments and they must report any serious incidents to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland. Employees are expected to take reasonable care of their own health and safety.
Study or training
Employees aged 16 or 17 who have not achieved a certain standard in their education or training have the right to reasonable time off with pay to study or train for a relevant qualification which will help them towards that standard.