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EARLY CONCILIATION COMES TO NORTHERN IRELAND 27 JANUARY 2020
Following a change in employment law, the Labour Relations Agency will provide a new service to employees, employers, and their representatives.
No.497 Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003
These Regulations implement European Directive 2000/78/EC establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment so far as it relates to discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Economy Minister welcomes new legislation to protect Northern Ireland workers
Economy Minister Diane Dodds has welcomed new employment legislation which will benefit workers across Northern Ireland.
The Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 extends protections against detriment in health and safety cases to workers in relation to any action they may take to protect themselves or others where they reasonably believe there is serious and imminent danger in their place of work.
It will come into operation on 31 May 2021. At present, these protections cover only employees.
The Order must be approved by a resolution of the Assembly within six months of coming into operation. It must therefore be confirmed on or before 31 November 2021.
The move has its origins in a Judicial Review brought by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain against the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain.
A High Court Judgment was published in November which directed that the Health and Safety Framework Directive and the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Directive should apply to a wider group of workers, not just employees.
Minister Dodds said: “This Order is about more than about responding appropriately to the decision of a High Court ruling. It will also give clarity to business and individuals.
“As businesses emerge from lockdown, everyone will need to be protected during the transition back to the workplace.
“This Order will allow some of our most vulnerable workers the legal protection they need to act to ensure their own safety and the safety of others without fear of suffering detriment for doing the right thing. This includes protecting them against being denied promotion or training opportunities.”
No.47 The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008
This Order, increases as of 2/3/08, the limits applying to certain awards of Industrial Tribunals, and other amounts payable under employment legislation.
No 319 The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Prescribed Criteria and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012
These Regulations come into operation on 10/9/12 and amend the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Prescribed Criteria and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 which prescribe the criteria which determine whether a person should be included automatically in the children’s barred list or the adults’ barred list maintained by the Independent Safeguarding Authority under Article 6 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 (“the 2007 Order”).
Increase of limits on Tribunal awards and payments under employment rights legislation
The Department for the Economy has made a statutory rule entitled The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023 (legislation.gov.uk).
The Order increases, from 6 April 2023, limits applicable to certain awards and payments under employment rights legislation in line with the Retail Prices Index.
The Department has issued a press release relating to the above changes in limits - https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/news/department-economy-announces-annual-increase-limits-unfair-dismissal-and-redundancy-payments.
For details on the limits for previous years, please access the following link https://www.legislation.gov.uk/primary+secondary?title=The%20Employment…
6 Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000
This Order increases, as from 5/3/00, the limits applying to certain awards of industrial tribunals, and other amounts payable under employment legislation, as specified in the Schedule to the Order. (Increases reflect increases in Retail Price Index from Sept’97-Sept’99).
373 (C.17) Employment Relations (1999 Order) (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2000
This Order brings into operating, on 8/3/01, Articles 3,7,8 and 25 and Schedule 1 of the Employment Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.
No 163 The Transfer of Undertakings and Service Provision Change (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
These Regulations amend the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (“the TUPE Regulations”), insofar as those Regulations apply to Northern Ireland, to take account of changes made by the Employment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 13 (N.I.)).
Changes to Fit Note requirements in Northern Ireland
The requirements for doctors fit notes in Northern Ireland have been amended to remove the need for a doctor to produce a fit note in ink. The change becomes live from the 6th April 2022.
The Department For Communities have explained the change here.
The legislation for the change can be found here or on our dedicated legislation pages on this website. (click the legislation button at the top of this page)