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Hiring
A positive recruitment experience gets the working relationship off to the best start. It is important to follow a number of steps and adopt a best practice approach.
Types of employment status
There are different types of employment status, including agency workers, apprentices, piece workers, posted workers and young workers. Further information on each is provided below.
Right to work in Northern Ireland
It is important that an employer checks that a job applicant is allowed to work in the UK before they can employ them. An employer could face a civil penalty if they employ an illegal worker and have not carried out a correct right to work check.
Employers must check the applicant's identity and nationality and make sure that they have the relevant immigration permission or visa in place.
Steps to resolve
When there is an issue in the workplace, employers and employees have a number of options and steps they can take to resolve it, ranging from informal conversations to formal processes and procedures.
Resolving problems
Issues and problems can arise in any workplace. If not resolved they can cause lasting damage to individuals, to the business and to relationships. It is important to ensure there are fair processes in place to deal with problems and that organisations adopt a best practice approach. We run free training seminars and briefings and have guides, template policies and flowcharts to help. Where additional support is needed we offer free, impartial and confidential conciliation, mediation and arbitration services.
Conciliation services
We offer free conciliation services to help parties involved in a workplace dispute to come to a legally binding resolution, without needing to go through a public tribunal. We offer both individual conciliation and collective conciliation, for example where an issue affects a number of employees.
Trade unions
The Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 defines a trade union as “an organisation (whether permanent or temporary) which … consists wholly or mainly of workers of one or more descriptions and is an organisation whose principal purposes include the regulation of relations between workers … and employers or employers’ associations.
Hours and pay
The hours we work and the pay we receive for that work are two key factors when it comes to job satisfaction, feeling fulfilled, challenged and rewarded. It is important that record keeping systems are robust, policies and communication about breaks and benefits are clear, and that people know their rights and responsibilities.
Types of problems
Problems can arise in any workplace. Below are some examples, though not an exhaustive list. Employers, employees and their representatives may find it helpful to refer to the Labour Relations Agency's codes of practice, sample letters, flowcharts and guides. Our service is confidential and all our resources are free of charge to anyone working to prevent or resolve a workplace issue in Northern Ireland.
Industrial action
This section includes information on official industrial action; unofficial industrial action; repudiation of industrial action; and lawful industrial action.