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Harrassment and Bullying at Work - Promoting an Inclusive Workplace
This guide outlines the steps to building an inclusive workplace and includes signposts to other guidance published by the Equality Commission and the Labour Relations Agency.
The guidance is designed to be of practical use to employers, trade unions or employee representatives when developing and implementing policies in the areas of harassment and bullying.
Labour Relations Agency retains Bronze Diversity Mark
The Labour Relations Agency has successfully retained the Bronze Diversity Charter Mark in recognition of their ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion within the workplace.
New Beginnings for the Labour Relations Agency
A new year brings new beginnings for The Labour Relations Agency (LRA) which recently moved from its former home in the iconic Cathedral Quarter of Belfast – its base for 25 years.
Amendment to the Working Time Regulations - Pay and Carryover of holidays
The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023 came into force on 1st January 2024 and set out the legal obligations on carry over of holiday and what constitutes pay for the purposes of calculating holiday pay.
Flexible Working: The Right to Request and Duty to Consider
Under provisions set out in the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 and regulations made under it, all employees have a statutory right to ask their employer for a change to their contractual terms and conditions of employment to work flexibly.
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.”
New Hybrid Working Guide Offers Timely Support to Employers
To coincide with the easing of Covid restrictions and anticipated lifting of the ‘work from home’ recommendation, a new guide offering NI employers the most up-to-date advice on ‘Hybrid Working’ has been launched by the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) for Northern Ireland.
Employment Law Revision Day with Mark McAllister
Mark McAllister from the Labour Relations Agency and Scott Alexander from Legal Island discussed the top 10 employment cases of the year, including any updates since our Annual Review of Employment Law conferences in November.
From ‘Banter’ to ‘Abuse’?
- New Guide aims to Eradicate Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Disclosure of information to trade unions for collective bargaining purposes
The Agency has a duty to provide practical guidance on the application of Articles 39 and 40 of the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 (“the 1992 Order”) in relation to the disclosure of information by employers to trade unions for the purpose of collective bargaining.