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SSP Entitlement Northern Ireland – Temporary Extension

Temporary changes were made to the SSP Regulations effective from 14th December 2020 to deal with the exceptional circumstances faced by employers and employees in relation to Covid related illness.

Covid-19 - Collective Conciliation Service Interim Delivery Arrangements

In line with existing public health advice and the Agency’s consequent decision to restrict all face-to-face contact between staff and service users it has been necessary to rethink the practical arrangements governing delivery of the Collective Conciliation Service.

Face-to-face Service Update

The Agency has not been conducting face-to-face meetings with customers due to Covid-19, rather we have held meetings by alternative means such as video conferencing or teleconference.  Our staff have in general, been working remotely and our offices have been closed to visitors. We are delighted that work is now in progress to restore Covid-secure face-to-face delivery for specific services such as Independent Appeals and Mediations. It should be noted that the pandemic created a considerable backlog in relation to these services and we therefore thank you for your patience and understanding.

Our programme of public and in-company seminars and workshops has been postponed for the time being, but we are continuing to develop and publish webinars on key topics such as Redundancy, Mental Health and Discipline and Dismissal.

The Northern Ireland Engagement Forum, which is chaired by the Labour Relations Agency, has produced A Practical Guide to Making Workplaces Safer to support organisations and workers across Northern Ireland. We have also produced a Working from Home guide and a Practical Guide to Hybrid Working.

NI’s Labour Market Follows Global Trends with ‘Hybrid Working’ offering best response to the ‘Great Resignation’

- 40% of workforce considering leaving or changing jobs by summer 2022 -    

LRA Confirms Spike in Calls from Distressed Hospitality Sector

NI’s Labour Relations Agency (LRA) has recorded a spike in calls from the local hospitality sector following the emergence of the Omicron variant and tightening of public health restrictions and introduction of new guidance to respond to this.

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.

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. 

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.”