Employment

An extension of breastfeeding break rights has been highlighted by the government to mark World Breastfeeding Week. The entitlement to breastfeeding breaks under the Maternity Protection Acts was extended from six months to two years from 3 July 2023 through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous P

Northern Ireland’s High Court has determined that a decision of the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to refuse an application for retirement was unlawful. The court rejected the claim that this refusal was done in the public interest, due to the fact that the officer i

Northern Ireland's Labour Relations Agency (LRA) will mark Belfast's Pride Festival week by hosting a panel discussion to help businesses and organisations manage workplace conversations on diversity issues, which some may regard as ‘difficult’ or ‘sensitive’. The free event

A complaint of indirect age discrimination against a State body has been settled after the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission supported the complainant to bring a case to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The alleged discrimination related to specific eligibility criteria that was re

Cathy Smith SC and Paul D. Maier BL reflect on the objectives and impact of the Fixed-Term Work Act 2003 two decades on from its enactment. Fixed-term worker protection in Ireland got off to a particularly bad start with the State failing to implement and transpose the Fixed-Term Work Directive 1999

Northern Ireland's employment laws are being left behind compared to neighbouring jurisdictions due to the ongoing absence of devolved government, a partner at Eversheds Sutherland Belfast has warned. Ian McFarland, partner in the global law firm's employment team in Belfast, said businesses and emp

Three in 10 employers do not have a flexible working policy in place, and more than a quarter do not have a remote working policy, according to a recent survey of HR professionals by Mason Hayes & Curran LLP. The business law firm surveyed more than 500 attendees, working across the public and p

New employment entitlements for parents and carers will come into effect from next Monday, the government has announced. Part 1, Part 2, other than sections 7, 8, 12 (a), 13 and 14, and sections 32 to 39 of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 will be commenced on Monday 3 Jul

An external review of governance and culture at RTÉ has been ordered by the government following a controversy over undisclosed payments to presenter Ryan Tubridy. The broadcaster's director-general Dee Forbes resigned this morning, having been suspended last week shortly after RTÉ adm

Rosemary Connolly Solicitors has secured a "very satisfactory" settlement for former BBC journalist Lena Ferguson after she sued the broadcaster over alleged bullying. Ms Ferguson had accused the BBC of breaching its duty of care in relation to a complaint of alleged bullying which she made in 2019

Rosemary Connolly Solicitors has secured a settlement for former Newsline presenter Donna Traynor in her tribunal case against BBC NI and its director Adam Smyth. Ms Traynor contended that she had suffered unlawful discrimination on grounds of age, gender and disability.

A discrimination disability case brought by a man against his former employer Home Bargains with support from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has been settled for £25,000 with no admission of liability. Ryan Walker, who lives with cerebral palsy, was employed in the chain's Armagh

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has determined that there was procedural unfairness in refusing to allow witnesses to remain seated during a tribunal hearing while providing seats for pupil barristers. The court found that although pandemic restrictions were the cause of the occupancy limit

Matheson partner Geraldine Carr and senior associate Denise Moran examine a recent decision involving workplace sexual harassment and consider the key learnings and takeaways for employers. A recent sexual harassment decision (O'Brien v Deadline Direct Ltd t/a Deadline Couriers - ADJ-00036160), wher

The High Court has ruled that a prison officer in the Irish Prison Service was not entitled to legal representation at a disciplinary hearing. The officer was facing allegations of improper conduct including that he made inappropriate contact with the wife of a prisoner and made threats against a pr