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  • Starting out

    Starting out

    There is lots to think about when starting a new job, or when hiring new staff.  It is important that there are good processes in place so that everyone meets their responsibilities and everyone’s rights are protected.   

    • Who is an employee?
    • Hiring
    • Contracts of employment
    • Probationary periods
    • Trade unions
    • Rights and responsibilities
    • Right to work in Northern Ireland
    • Who is an employee
    • Hiring
    • Contracts of employment
    • Probationary periods
    • Trade unions
    • Rights and responsibilities
    • Right to work in Northern Ireland
  • Hours and pay

    Hours and pay

    When employment contracts end through resignation, retirement, dismissal or redundancy, there are rights and responsibilities for both the employer and employee.

     

    • Pay and wages
    • Deductions
    • Rests and breaks
    • Hours of work
    • Redundancy pay
  • Holidays and Leave

    Holidays and Leave

    Employees and workers are entitled to various types of leave depending on their circumstances and the length of time they have been employed. 

    • Public holidays and bank holidays
    • Annual holidays
    • Sick leave
    • Bereavement Leave
    • Maternity, Paternity and Parental leave
    • Other types of leave
  • Workplace policies

    Workplace policies

    Clear workplace policies and procedures help organisations to be productive, efficient and maintain high levels of staff morale.  Ensuring that everyone knows how and why things are done is a key component in establishing best employment practice.  Check out our free 'Toolkit' to create your own policies and procedures that adhere to legal requirements and best practice, and which meet the particular needs of your organisation.

     

     

    • Employee performance
    • Health & Safety at Work
    • Flexible Working
    • Whistleblowing
  • Resolving problems

    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. 

    • Types of problems
    • Steps to resolve
    • Escalating unresolved issues
    • Preventing relationship problems
  • Ending employment

    Ending employment

    When employment contracts end through resignation, retirement, dismissal or redundancy, there are rights and responsibilities for both the employer and employee.

     

    • Resignation and termination of employment
    • Constructive dismissal
    • Retirement
    • Dismissal
    • Redundancy
    • Giving and Accepting Notice
    • Final Pay
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  1. Home
  2. Starting out

Starting out

There is lots to think about when starting a new job, or when hiring new staff.  It is important that there are good processes in place so that everyone meets their responsibilities and everyone’s rights are protected.   

  • Who is an employee?

    There are differences between ‘employees’, ‘workers’ and ‘contractors’.  These differences in status can affect rights and responsibilities in the workplace.

    Learn more - Who is an employee?

    Quick Links

    • Types of employment status
    • Contractor versus Employee versus Worker
    • Volunteers
  • 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.

    Learn more - Hiring

    Quick Links

    • Preparing for the hiring process
    • Describing the job
    • Advertising the job
    • Job applications
    • Interviews
    • Selecting and appointing
    • Tests and checks
    • Induction
    • Discrimination when hiring
    • Hiring young people
  • Contracts of employment

    Employers must provide a contract of employment which sets out the terms and conditions of employment.

    Learn more - Contracts of employment

    Quick Links

    • Contracts of Employment
    • Types of contracts
    • Details a written statement must contain
    • Restraint of Trade
  • Probationary periods

    Employers may sometimes state that a contract of employment is permanent subject to the completion of a satisfactory probationary period.

    Learn more - Probationary periods
  • 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. 

    Learn more - Trade unions

    Quick Links

    • Collective bargaining
    • Industrial action
    • Time off for trade union duties and activities
    • Safety Committee / Representatives
  • Rights and responsibilities

    Both employers and employees have certain rights and responsibilities towards each other.  Some will apply to everyone in the workplace, while others will be dependent on the individual’s working status.

     

    Learn more - Rights and responsibilities

    Quick Links

    • Qualifying periods
    • Working Time Regulations
  • 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.    
    Learn more - Right to work in Northern Ireland

Find services and information

Find us

  • Head Office (Belfast)

    2-16 Gordon Street
    Belfast
    BT1 2LG
    United Kingdom

    03300 552 220
    info@lra.org.uk
  • Regional Office (Derry/ Londonderry)

    3rd Floor, Richmond Chambers
    The Diamond
    Derry/Londonderry
    BT48 6HN
    United Kingdom

    03300 552 220
    info@lra.org.uk

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  • Starting out
    • Who is an employee
      • Types of employee
        • Agency worker
        • Apprenticeship
        • Young worker
        • Posted worker
        • Piece worker
      • Contractor versus Employee versus Worker
      • Volunteers
    • Hiring
      • Preparing for the hiring process
      • Describing the job
      • Advertising the job
      • Job applications
      • Interviews
      • Selecting and appointing
      • Tests and checks
      • Induction
      • Discrimination when hiring
      • Hiring young people
    • Contracts of employment
      • Contracts of employment explained
      • Types of contracts
      • Details a written statement must contain
      • Restraint of Trade
    • Probationary periods
    • Trade unions
      • Collective bargaining
      • Industrial action
      • Time off for trade union duties and activities
      • Safety Committee/Representatives
    • Rights and responsibilities
      • Qualifying periods
      • Working Time Regulations
    • Right to work in Northern Ireland
  • Hours and pay
    • Pay and wages
      • Minimum Wage
      • Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
      • Statutory Paternity Pay
      • Statutory Adoption Pay
      • Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP)
      • Pay Day
      • Statutory Sick Pay
      • Pay in Lieu of Notice (PILON)
      • Payslips
      • Final pay when employment ends
      • Holidays and final pay
    • Deductions
      • Deductions from pay - employees
      • Deductions from pay - employers
      • Deducting training costs from final pay
    • Rests and breaks
    • Hours of work
    • Redundancy pay
  • Holidays and Leave
    • Public holidays and bank holidays
    • Annual Leave
      • Annual Closedowns
      • Calculating holiday entitlement
    • Sick leave
    • Bereavement Leave
    • Maternity, Paternity and Parental leave
      • Maternity Leave
      • Paternity Leave
      • Adoption leave
      • Shared Parental Leave (SPL)
      • Fall Back Scheme – Parental leave
      • Surrogate Parent leave
      • Antenatal Care
    • Other types of leave
      • Dependants Leave
      • Garden Leave
      • Disciplinary or grievance hearings
      • Employee representatives
      • Leave for Flexible working hearings
      • Jury service
      • Pension scheme trustees and directors of trustee companies
      • Public duties
      • Job Hunting or to Arrange Training when Facing Redundancy
      • Trade Union Safety representatives
      • Study or training
      • Trade Union duties and activities
      • Trade Union learning representatives
      • Leave without pay
  • Workplace policies
    • Employee performance
    • Health & Safety at Work
    • Flexible Working
    • Whistleblowing
  • Resolving problems
    • Types of problems
      • Bullying and harassment
      • Misconduct and gross misconduct
      • Discrimination
      • Unfair dismissal claim
      • Breach of Contract
    • Steps to resolve
      • Informal actions
      • Warnings and other disciplinary action
      • Disciplinary procedures
      • Personal grievances
      • Suspension
    • Escalating unresolved issues
      • Mediation
      • Conciliation services
      • Arbitration services
      • Independent appeals
      • Industrial tribunals
    • Preventing relationship problems
  • Ending employment
    • Resignation and termination of employment
    • Constructive dismissal
    • Retirement
    • Dismissal
    • Redundancy
    • Giving and Accepting Notice
    • Final Pay
  • About
    • Who we are
    • What we do
    • Vision
    • Purpose
    • Values
    • Working for the Labour Relations Agency
    • Equality statement
    • Agency structure
    • Governance
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      • Key Governance Documents
    • Statistics Hub
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  • News
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  • Resources
  • Legislation
    • Index Of Employment Related Statutes For Northern Ireland
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