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We provide a range of resources to help you navigate employment relations in Northern Ireland.
Please note that on 6 December 2022 we will have moved our Head Office to new premises at James House, 2-4 Cromac Avenue, the Gasworks, Belfast. However, some of our guides and resources may still have our old, Gordon Street address on them. We are systematically working our way through to update them with the new address. Phone numbers (03300 555 300 and 03300 552 220) and email addresses remain the same.
Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures - 3rd April 2011
This publication sets out how to manage discipline and grievance processes in line with legal requirements and best practice.
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.”
Shared Parental Leave: A Good Practice Guide for Employers and Employees
The Work and Families (Northern Ireland) Act 2015 and associated regulations provide an opportunity for parents to take advantage of additional flexibility in the way they choose to care for a new arrival to the family.
Values
To achieve our vision and purpose, our values are to be progressive, ethical, exemplary and responsive. These values underpin all that we do.
Advice on Non-union Representation in the Workplace
This guide is for employers and non-union workplace representatives. It gives advice on the provision of time off, training and facilities to enable non-union representatives to carry out their duties. It covers statutory and non-statutory representatives.
Advice on Handling Discipline and Grievances at Work
This guide is purely advisory. It complements the Agency’s Code by giving more practical advice and guidance that employers and employees and their representatives will often find helpful both in general terms and in respect of individual cases.