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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.
Customer Complaints Policy and Procedure
This document sets out what to do if you have a complaint about the services we have provided at the Labour Relations Agency.
We updated this customer complaints policy and procedure in February 2023.
Four Day Working Week Podcast
In the fourth podcast in the "Challenging Workplaces" series, we discuss the four day week, and whether it might be time to reassess the traditional Monday to Friday working pattern in the modern workplace.
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.
Annual Review of Employment Law 2020
We have published the narrative and video links (part 1 and part 2) of our Annual Review of Employment Law 2020, which has been delivered through a number of partnership events by our Director of Employment Relations Services, Mark McAllister.
Independent appeals
The Agency also facilitates a range of independent appeals (mainly grievance, bullying / harassment and discipline), for example where the final stage of an organisation’s procedure offers the option of 'an independent appeal of the decision via the Labour Relations Agency'.
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.
Labour Relations Agency Corporate Plan 2017-2021
This Corporate Plan covers the four-year period from April 2017 to March 2021. It sets out how the Agency intends to contribute to the effectiveness of the Northern Ireland labour market through the delivery of high quality employment relations services.
LRA Podcast - 'Challenging Workplaces' - Part 1
In this first episode of the Labour Relations Agency's podcast, entitled 'Challenging Workplaces', Mark McAllister, Director of Employment Relations Services and Keelin Kelly, Communications Manager, discuss societal issues that are now also being recognised as workplace issues - such as domestic violence, menopause and gender identity.
Employer-Led Conciliation Service Non-Employment Tribunal (Non-ET) Interim Delivery Arrangements
In line with existing public health advice and the Agency’s consequent decision to halt all face-to-face contact between staff and service users it has been necessary to rethink the practical arrangements governing delivery of a number of the Agency’s services including the Employer-Led (Non-ET) Conciliation Service.