Search Results
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.”
Collective Conciliation Explained
Collective Conciliation is facilitated or assisted negotiation where an Agency conciliator helps employers and employees (normally via trade unions) to try to reach mutually acceptable settlements of their collective disputes.
Managing Bereavement in the Workplace
This guidance aims to help employers manage this difficult situation through appropriate and sensitive discussions with their employee, both in the immediate aftermath of bereavement and in the longer term.
LRA Website Accessibility Audit - August 2020
This document sets out a summary of the checks and tests that were performed on the LRA website ahead of the introduction of new accessibility legislation.
Advice on Managing Difficult Conversations
The ability to be able to talk about very sensitive and emotive issues is an integral part of effective line management and can be critical to managing performance, promoting attendance and improving team dynamics. These difficult conversations should not be avoided.
The Northern Ireland labour market 1977-2007: then, today and tomorrow
Mike Smyth, University of Ulster
Hybrid Working Podcast
Hybrid working is one of the biggest drivers of change for organisations in the UK and Ireland. We are joined by leading HR practitioner, thinker and author, Gary Cookson and Ana Desmond, Senior Economist at the University of Ulster, and co-author of recent research "Is remote working, working?", to discuss how organisations should approach the topic, and ways they can get it working for them.
Vision
It is our vision to be widely recognised as Northern Ireland’s leading authority in promoting productive working relationships for the benefit of individuals and organisations and to support the creation of a thriving and inclusive economy.
New rates for National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage
From the 1st of April 2024, the changes in respect of the above are as follows:
* If you are 21 and over, you will be entitled to £11.44 per hour (National Living Wage)
* If you are between 18-20, you are entitled to £8.60
* If you are under 18 or an Apprentice, you will be entitled to £6.40
Please note that to avail of the National Minimum Wage you must be at least of school leaving age
In Northern Ireland this means If you turn 16 during the school year (between the 1st of September and the 1st of July) you can leave school after the 30th of June.
If you turn 16 between 2 July and 31 August you can’t leave school until 30 June the following year.
You can access the relevant legislation by clicking on the link below
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/432/made