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Induction
When an employee starts work, the employer has a duty of care towards them. This includes making sure that they can do the job safely and competently.
Annual holidays
Most workers - whether part-time or full-time - are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid annual leave. Employers can set the times of the year that leave needs to be taken and workers must give the employer notice when they want to take leave.
Contractor versus Employee versus Worker
Employees, workers and contractors have different rights and responsibilities.
Preparing for the hiring process
Taking the time to carefully plan the hiring process is important and ensures that you hire an employee with the right mix of skills and characteristics for the job.
Escalating unresolved issues
Some issues in the workplace cannot be resolved informally so it is important that there is a fair and clear escalation process where each side meets their responsibilities. The Labour Relations Agency can offer information, flowcharts and codes of practice to help. We also offer confidential and impartial conciliation, mediation and arbitration services to help parties resolve issues without needing to go to tribunal.
The Agency is a public body with statutory responsibilities so there is no charge for our services.
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.
Sick leave
From one time to another, employing organisations will experience absence by their staff due to illness. Illness absences are usually unplanned. This makes planning and covering work difficult for employers given the short notice of illness occurrences.
Video Guide to the Employment Tribunal Process
Law Centre NI has launched a new video guide to the Employment Tribunal process, which will help people to understand what they should expect when submitting a claim to the Tribunal.
Available in English, Hungarian, Lithuanian and Polish, the Guide is split into two chapters so that people can learn about the steps that they will go through before a Hearing takes place, as well as what happens on the day of the Hearing.
You can access the video and the written guide at this link:
Guide to the Employment Tribunal | Law Centre Northern Ireland (lawcentreni.org)
For more information, contact our Workplace Information Service team at 03300 555 300 or Law Centre NI at 028 9024 4401.
Contracts of employment
A contract of employment is a legal agreement between an employer and an employee which sets out their employment rights, responsibilities and duties. The employment contract is made as soon as a job offer is accepted.
Redundancy
When employers wish to make employees redundant they must follow a clear and fair process. The Labour Relations Agency has a redundancy flowchart which can help employers and employees in this situation.