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Ending employment
When employment contracts end through resignation, retirement, dismissal or redundancy, there are rights and responsibilities for both the employer and employee.
Contractor versus Employee versus Worker
Employees, workers and contractors have different rights and responsibilities.
Early Conciliation
The Labour Relations Agency provides an Early Conciliation service following a change in NI employment law which took effect on 27 January 2020. This service helps to resolve workplace disputes in a legally binding way, without the need to take a case to the Industrial or Fair Employment Tribunal. Click below for more information or to make an Early Conciliation notification.
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.
Apprenticeship
An apprentice is someone who is engaged through an employment contract to undertake a course of training and learning in order to practice a skilled trade or profession.
Escalating unresolved issues
Some issues in the workplace cannot be resolved informally so it is important that there is a fair and clear escalation process where each side meets their responsibilities. The Labour Relations Agency can offer information, flowcharts and codes of practice to help. We also offer confidential and impartial conciliation, mediation and arbitration services to help parties resolve issues without needing to go to tribunal.
The Agency is a public body with statutory responsibilities so there is no charge for our services.
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.
Industrial action
This section includes information on official industrial action; unofficial industrial action; repudiation of industrial action; and lawful industrial action.
Employer-led Early Conciliation
Early Conciliation is available to employers who are dealing with a workplace dispute which could result in a claim being made to the Industrial or Fair Employment Tribunal. The employer's representative can also contact us to request Early Conciliation on the employer's behalf.
Types of contracts
In addition to contracts of employment, a number of other types of contracts exist.