If you hire an employee on a 2+ year fixed term contact, are they entitled to redundancy if/when they are dismissed at the end of the contract? Is there any way to avoid this if an entitlement exists?

The non-renewal of a fixed-term contract will be potentially fair by reason of redundancy. The usual "band of reasonable responses" test will apply to whether it was fair to dismiss for that reason, and the usual rules regarding adherence to a fair redundancy procedure must be followed. Employers should note that, if redundancy is to be relied on, they should consider pooling, suitable alternative employment for the employee, and will have to make a redundancy payment if the employee has two years' service or more. 

Before the Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 came into effect, employees were able to waive their right to