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Contractor versus Employee versus Worker
Employees, workers and contractors have different rights and responsibilities.
Labour Relations Agency Accessibility Statement
Accessibility statement for www.lra.org.uk
This accessibility statement applies to the website of the Labour Relations Agency.
Time off for trade union duties and activities
An employee who is an official of an independent trade union is entitled to paid time off in certain circumstances.
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
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.
Qualifying periods
Most people are entitled to the rights outlined below. However, in many cases, qualifying conditions must be fulfilled before a right may be claimed. Some rights apply to all employees as soon as they start work; others depend on factors such as length of service, continuity of employment and activities in addition to the job, for example, union work.
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:
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.
Arbitration services
Those who have submitted a tribunal claim will also be offered access to the Labour Relations Agency’s Arbitration Scheme which offers a quick, non–legalistic, less formal, confidential and more cost effective alternative to a tribunal hearing.
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.