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Labour Relations Agency Public Meeting to Explore Link Between Good Employment Relations and a Strong Economy
The link between harmonious, productive workplaces and a thriving economy is the theme of the Labour Relations Agency’s annual public meeting on Thursday 25 October in Belfast’s Radisson Blu Hotel at 11.30am.
137 Health and Personal Social Services (Disciplinary Procedures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
These Regulations replace the existing provisions which were derived from the 1973 Regulations.
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 88 The Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (Application of Parts 12ZA and 12ZB to Adoptions from Overseas) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
These Regulations amend the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (Application of Parts 12ZA and 12ZB to Adoptions from Overseas) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2019
This instrument amends the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) Order (Northern Ireland) 1979 (“the 1979 Order”) to give effect to changes to a criminal record ‘filtering scheme’ that allows some old and minor spent convictions to be ‘filtered, so that they are no longer disclosed and cannot be taken into account in employment decisions in certain circumstances. The 1978 Order makes it possible for certain convictions to become “spent”, which means that after a specified period a person can be treated for certain purposes as if the conviction had never happened and they need not, for example, tell an employer about the conviction when applying for a job.
To ensure that the public is adequately protected, however, certain exceptions to the 1978 Order are set out in the 1979 Order so that, for specified professions and occupations that typically involve a high degree of trust and often involve vulnerable persons, applicants must declare all past convictions when asked. The 1979 Order is amended periodically to ensure that the access to the criminal record disclosure regime keeps pace with changes in public risk; to ensure that disclosure regimes remain consistent across jurisdictions where appropriate; and to maintain the public trust and protection process.
This Order, the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2019 (“the 2019 Order”), stems from a Supreme Court judgment, which ruled that elements of the criminal record ‘filtering scheme’ operated by the Department of Justice were disproportionate. The ‘filtering scheme’ was established in 2014 following a review of the criminal records regime in Northern Ireland that was carried out by Sunita Mason during 2011, which recommended that the Department of Justice should filter old and minor convictions from standard and enhanced criminal record certificates; and to take account of the findings of two court cases concerning the disclosure of criminal record material at that time.
The terms of the scheme are that a conviction can be filtered after a period of 11 years (or 5.5 years for those under 18 at the time of the conviction), so long as the conviction was not for a specified offence as listed in the 1979 Order (e.g. serious violent and sexual offences; or offences of specific relevance for posts concerned with safeguarding children and vulnerable adults; etc.); did not attract a custodial sentence; and if there is no other conviction on the individual’s record.
The Supreme Court found that limiting the filtering scheme to a single offence, with the result that more than one old and minor conviction would be disclosed automatically, was disproportionate. The Department has, therefore, adjusted the terms of the scheme to allow more than one offence to be filtered in order to comply with the judgment.
The 2019 Order gives effect to this change by amending the 1979 Order to remove Article 1A(2)(c), which restricted the terms of the filtering scheme to a single conviction. The Department is satisfied that public protection is maintained, however, as the remaining elements of the filtering scheme will continue to ensure that there is no increased risk to the public as a result of this change.
No 211 The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
These Regulations come into operation on 6/4/15 and they essentially amend the Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Earnings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 in consequence of section 2 of and Schedule 1 to the National Insurance Contributions Act 2015 (c. 5).
No. 56 The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2017
This Order, one of a series of statutory rules relating to the annual up-rating of social security benefits provides for the rates of certain social security benefits, pensions and allowances from various dates in early April 2017.
LRA ‘Breaks the Silence’ on Domestic Abuse
New guidance for employers on supporting staff affected by domestic violence & abuse.
Labour Relations Agency launches all new Employer Toolkit for NI businesses
Free advice and document guidance now online…from managing bullying to menopause transition in the workplace
No 124 The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2015
This Order made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under section 1 of the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Act 2013 and sections 150 and 150A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, alters the rates and amounts of certain social security benefits and other sums.