News and Articles

No jab – no job? Will the Covid-19 vaccine become an ‘Essential Criterion’ for new recruits?

26 February 2021 A large London based plumbing company recently announced its intention to make vaccine compliance part of its recruitment process. The owner defended the position by stating that he is just getting ahead of the... READ

Managing redundancy in the new normal

06 November 2020 Uncertainty prevails on the likely length of the pandemic, the level of government support available for businesses and the severity of the recession that will likely result. Redundancies are on the rise. The latest... READ

Strict rules apply on redundancy consultation process with staff

30 July 2020 Whilst the country continues to slowly make its way out of lockdown, with restrictions being relaxed on an almost weekly basis in Northern Ireland, unfortunately lockdown, as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic,... READ

Annual leave in the era of furlough

09 July 2020 With over 200,000 employees placed on ‘furlough’ in Northern Ireland as a result of covid-19 disruption and the availability of the Government’s CJRS furlough scheme until the end of October, managing an orderly usage... READ

Flexible working likely to increase

01 July 2020 The Covid 19 pandemic has meant that many employers have had to rapidly adapt to new ways of working, including increased home working and undoubtedly a degree of flexibility has been required, as staff... READ

Maintaining a safe return to work

22 June 2020 As the government eases lockdown measures, it is anticipated, if not hoped, that many employees will return to work in the near future. To ensure employers are continuing to abide by their ongoing health and safety duty to... READ

Returning to work during Covid-19: Key Questions and Answers for Employers

22 May 2020 Should my employee be on furlough or SSP?  What if they are entitled to enhanced sick leave? Whether an employee should be on furlough or SSP is likely to depend on whether their sickness... READ

Absence Management & Disability Related Absence

28 February 2020 In a decision issued earlier this year, the Industrial Tribunal confirmed that an employer fairly dismissed an employee for persistent intermittent absence under an absence management process that did not take account of the... READ

Migraine and reasonable adjustments

14 February 2020 The Migraine Trust confirms that “‘Migraine’ is a complex condition with a wide variety of symptoms. For many people the main feature is a painful headache. Other symptoms include disturbed vision, sensitivity to light, sound... READ

Holiday pay: Are Bonus Payments Included?

17 January 2020 Caselaw in relation to the calculation of holiday pay under the Working Time Directive continues to present challenges for employers as the concept of ‘normal remuneration’ develops on a case by case basis.  Based... READ