The Fast 5: 

1. NI's top employment cases of 2026 reviewed ⚖️
2. Happy 50th birthday to the LRA! 🎂
3. NI woman wins over £20k in indirect sex discrimination case 💰
4. Belfast employer sets the bar as first in NI to guarantee real living wage, secure hours and decent pension 👏
5. The AI Act is now being enforced, here's what you need to know 🤖

In other news................The Good Jobs Charter survey is an initial consultation and survey exercise aimed at shaping a Good Jobs Charter for Northern Ireland. The consultation closes on 28 August 2026 at 5p.m. HAVE YOUR SAY.

1. Annual Review of Employment Law 2026
2. Case Law Reviews
3. AI and Employment Law
4. Skill Builder for HR: 2 free places for Hub Subscribers
5. Woman awarded over £20k by Tribunal in indirect sex discrimination case
6. Shorts, strappy tops and sandals: Can my boss tell me what to wear in summer?
7. Belfast employer is first in Northern Ireland to guarantee real living wage, secure hours and a decent pension
8. Just in Case You Missed It...
9. HR Developments
10. Employment News in the Media
11. GB Developments
12. Friends of Legal Island
13. Free Webinars This Month

Session of the Week: Top NI Employment Cases of 2026

Join Jason Elliott BL, Barrister and Deputy Head of School of Law, Ulster University as he unpacks Northern Ireland’s most significant employment cases of 2026, translating key rulings into practical lessons and actions for employers.

FIND OUT MORE

Jargon‑free employment law insights that make your job easier

The must attend HR event of the year is back - 5 November 2026! 

Our Annual Review of Employment Law is the cornerstone event for HR professionals. Join us at the Crowne Plaza, Belfast or tune in with coffee in hand from your desk. Either way, you’ll access the insights that matter most, brought to you by expert speakers.

EARLY BIRD RATE available until 10th September 2026 at 5:00pm.

BOOK YOUR PLACE

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Moore v Inspire Wellbeing [2026] NIIT 36197/24

Summary Description: 

Claimant unsuccessful in disability and age discrimination claim in relation to application process for a series of jobs with the respondent.

Claimant: 

Patrick Moore

Respondent: 

Inspire Wellbeing

Practical Guidance for Employers:

Whilst the interviews were noted as being more like informal conversations, it is important that the policy and process of the employer is followed.  The lack of written notes from the interview process undertaken did lead to a comment from the Tribunal.  Whilst it was not determinative of the case, and the respondent was still able to successfully defend its position in terms of the hiring decisions – a lot of this could have been avoided by ensuring that there was proper recording keeping.

Read the Review in full: 
Moore v Inspire Wellbeing [2026]

AB v GH Ltd [2026] EAT 115

Summary Description: 

Sexual harassment claim failed when it was found that the claimant instigated the sexual contact after the Christmas party and it was therefore not unwanted as required in the legislation.

Claimant: 

AB

Respondent: 

GH Ltd

Practical Guidance for Employers:

A now annual tradition of having judgments arising from the work Christmas party.  This case gave the Tribunal the opportunity to examine and distinguish between consent in relation to sexual conduct and unwanted conduct as set out in defining harassment.  The Tribunal makes it clear that unwanted should be given an ordinary meaning and there was no need to substitute words such as unwelcome or uninvited into applying its meaning.  In this case, as the claimant had instigated the conduct it could not be regarded as being unwanted and the claim failed.

Read the Review in full: 
AB v GH Ltd [2026]

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These case reviews were written by Jason Elliott BL.  NI Tribunal decisions are available on the OITFET website.

If you have any queries or wish to comment on the reports please feel free to contact Jason at: jasondelliott@outlook.com 

Jason Elliott was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2013 and is the Associate Head of School of Law at Ulster University. As a practising barrister, he has developed a largely civil practice representing individuals, companies and public bodies in litigation.  This covers a wide range of areas including personal injuries, wills and employment law. In terms of employment law, he has represented both applicants and respondents in the Industrial Tribunal.   At Ulster University, Jason lectures extensively on the civil areas of practise such as Equity and Trusts and delivers employment law lectures for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Remember: Our case law reviews are held in our case law section on our fully-searchable employment law hub website.

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Enforcement of the AI Act Starts 

As expected, enforcement of the EU AI Act started on August 2. Non-compliance may result in fines and can also affect companies based outside the EU that, for example, offer AI models or systems to customers in the EU (Article 2 of the AI Act provides more information). Read more from Luiza Jarovsky, PhD on how enforcement will work in practice, and other information that everyone should know.

AI models have been going rogue in tests – how worried should we be?

Two cutting-edge AI models have targeted real people and organisations in the latest safety scare to hit the technology. The UK’s AI Security Institute (AISI) said the incident was unprecedented but could become more common as the technology becomes increasingly capable. The Guardian has more on this.

On a more positive note…..

Humanity At The Heart Of Work: How AI Can Unleash The Power Of People

The loudest debate about AI at work is whether machines will replace people. But, for many organisations, the real challenge is more nuanced: how can human work and AI evolve together for more successful outcomes? As leaders adopt AI, absorb new skill requirements and manage shifting employee expectations all at once, some companies could face eroding trust between employers and employees. For others, it could unlock new opportunities to empower a more capable, human-centric workforce. Forbes has more. 

AI-driven transformation and workforce restructuring in the UK: What employers need to know

Across most sectors, businesses are using AI to automate routine tasks, improve productivity and redesign operating models. In some cases, this may reduce the number of employees required to perform certain functions. In others, it is changing the skills and roles organisations need for the future. For UK employers, however, AI-driven change does not change the legal framework governing workforce restructurings. Whether organisational change is driven by economic pressures, outsourcing, automation or AI adoption, employers must still follow a fair and legally compliant process. Clyde & Co provides guidance.

Majority think AI job sift is ‘unacceptable’

Data from YouGov polling has found 64 per cent of the public believe it’s unacceptable for employers to use AI to narrow down job applications – although 26 per cent do feel it’s fine for this to happen. This comes as new PM Andy Burnham has expressed concerns about the way recruitment has changed since the pandemic, stating “AI in terms of CVs and sifting of applications. It doesn’t feel to me that recruitment in the post-pandemic era is becoming fairer.” More on this story from the Global Recruiter.

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

This week's episode:

Hub subscribers are beginning to request that our Chairman, Barry covers a particular AI topic in a future podcast. If you have a request, send it to him directly at barry@legal-island.com - he’ll feel like a DJ from the 80s…...🎧

You can tune into the latest episode right here - or, if you’re on the move, why not take us with you?

Listen on all major platforms: 🎧 Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Simply search for “AI for HR Weekly Podcast” and enjoy expert insights anytime, anywhere.

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Your Skill Builder perk is back: 

• Get 2 free places at this Autumn’s Skill Builder for HR sessions. Even if you used your Spring allocation.
• Multi-user subscribers: each named user gets their own free places.
• Share with colleagues using code "HubGift". Just add places to your cart and enter the code at checkout for £0.
• Check your recent email for session details and claiming instructions (and your spam folder, just in case).

Find out more about all the upcoming Skill Builder for HR sessions HERE. 

Skill Builder for HR: Workplace Coaching Skills

📅26 August 2026

🕒 12:30 - 14:00 (1 hour 30 mins)

📍 Live online 
 
Led by Marie Ferris of Thrive Coaching & Development, this practical Skill Builder session will help you develop workplace coaching skills you can apply immediately to performance conversations, employee development, and manager support. You'll leave with a simple framework and techniques to make your conversations more focused, productive, and impactful.

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A Co. Fermanagh mother who worked as a receptionist at the Westville Hotel, Enniskillen, has been awarded almost £20,500 by the Industrial Tribunal. Anna Owens who was supported by the Equality Commission, successfully brought an indirect sex discrimination case. Before starting work at the hotel, Anna Owens had verbally agreed a fixed 3-day working week which enabled her to balance work with her childcare responsibilities. Following the appointment of a new general manager, Ms Owens was told that, in the interests of fairness to other staff, she would be required to work a fully flexible seven-day rota. The full press release from the Equality Commission is here.

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What to wear to work in the summer can be a surprisingly difficult decision. Shorts, strappy tops and sandals may keep you cool - but will they be judged too casual, revealing or unprofessional? There's a bare-legged backlash in Tokyo where officials encouraged men to swap suits for shorts at work, prompting complaints about hairy legs in the office. So what is acceptable to wear to work, how can you successfully style your summer wardrobe and can your boss tell you what you can and can't wear? Read more from BBC. 

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Belfast-based IT company Endeavour Information Solutions has become the first employer in the north and one of only 37 across the UK, to achieve all three voluntary Living Wage Foundation accreditations. Not only is the company committed to paying all its staff in line with the cost of living each year with a real Living Wage, it also now provides secure and stable working hours through Living Hours and supports workers to save enough for a decent standard of living in retirement with a Living Pension. More from the Irish News.

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The Employment Law Hub is a comprehensive, jurisdiction-specific resource designed for HR professionals, legal advisors, and business leaders. It centralises essential employment law and HR updates, expertly curated and written by leading HR and legal specialists to provide reliable, practical, and authoritative insights. We have over 700+ in depth articles and 1000+ case law reviews. As a subscriber, you have access to all of this. Check it out the full Hub here and below are some recent articles you may have missed.....

Dear HR Agony Aunt: Working parents over school holidays

Every single summer it is the same story. I have a handful of working parents and the minute the schools break up, the requests start. Can I work from home, can I move my hours, because holiday childcare is costing them an absolute fortune. And I do get it, I really do. But some of our roles can be done from anywhere and some just cannot, and I already know that whatever I decide, someone is going to feel hard done by. I can hear the ‘well, you let her do it’ conversations before they have even happened. How do I actually be fair here? Crystel Robbin Rynne, CEO of HRLocker provides her insights here. 

Hello, Can I Speak to a Human, Please?

Barry Phillips asks whether AI is quietly taking the “human” out of Human Resources. As automated systems increasingly influence recruitment, employee support and workplace decision-making, are organisations becoming more efficient at the expense of empathy, judgement and genuine human connection.

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How little things snowball (for better or worse)

Incivility can creep into workplace culture with subtle behaviours going unnoticed until the rot sets in. This can take the form of relatively low-key rude behaviours to start with. Tutting, eye rolling, interrupting and forgetting our ‘P’s’ and ‘Q’s’ may seem minor, with isolated incidents being unlikely to raise red flags. On the other hand, what’s tolerated can quickly become the norm. If we turn a blind eye to behaviour continually, culture can quickly go downhill. This can be catastrophic in a medical context (Chris Turner’s TED Talk ‘When rudeness in teams turns deadly’ highlights a powerful example of the direct link between staff interactions and patient outcomes). Read more on this from HR Director. 

6 Career Habits That Separate High Performers From Other Workers

Expert asserts that enduring career success in our AI-transformed workplace depends less on traditional credentials and more on cultivating six daily habits and taking calculated risks—such as work-life integration, mastering situational leadership, mentoring others throughout your journey, and actively partnering with AI. Discover the human-centric qualities that are essential for thriving as technology continues to reshape industries. Forbes magazine has more.

What should HR do if an employee resigns before a disciplinary hearing?

After a police chief quit hours before misconduct proceedings, People Management explores how employers should approach similar scenarios.

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Loose Women panellist Nadia Sawalha has threatened legal action against ITV after she was removed from the daytime show for speaking out in support of Palestinian rights. In a pre-action letter, the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) has written to ITV on her behalf, alleging discrimination and harassment under the Equality Act. The ELSC said that Sawalha, who has been a regular Loose Women panellist for more than two decades, was taken off air after coordinated complaints and media pressure from Zionist groups relating to her social media posts. Personnel Today has more.

A Muslim healthcare worker sued the NHS for racism because she did not 'get her own way' and was told she had to wear uniform instead of an Islamic dress. Naziya Ayub was told that her Islamic dress, which covered her from the neck down to the ankle, was a health and safety risk. But an employment tribunal heard the British Pakistani refused alternative clothing options – such as trousers – and told her boss: 'I will not be negotiating on what I wear to work.' More from the Daily Mail.

A survivor of child abuse has called on the chief executive of the Law Society of Northern Ireland to resign after he provided a character reference for her abuser. Nicola Bannon was one of four women who were indecently assaulted by their former schoolteacher William Lloyd-Lavery at a Belfast school in the 1970s. More from BBC.

The head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) has asked staff to come forward with any experiences of abuse or inappropriate behaviour during Jeffrey Donaldson's time as a junior minister. Jayne Brady sent an email to NICS staff on Wednesday as she launched a "scoping exercise" following his conviction. BBC has the full story.

Hundreds of pilots have filed a group claim against Ryanair over unpaid holiday pay. Their lawsuit is being led by Richard Phillips, a former Ryanair pilot, alongside 261 others, and was filed last week in London’s Commercial Court. It follows a ruling last year at the Court of Appeal, which found that another pilot, Jason Lutz, was an employee of the airline while flying for them rather than self-employed. More from Personnel Today.

A university has lost its appeal after a tribunal ruled that it discriminated against an academic by sacking him over his anti-Zionist views and criticism of Israel. Prof David Miller was dismissed by the University of Bristol in October 2021 on the grounds that he "did not meet the [university's] standards of behaviour". He successfully appealed against his sacking in 2024 and claimed unfair dismissal, breach of contract and discrimination or victimisation on the grounds of religion or belief. More from the BBC.

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NB: Please note these articles relate to GB and do not apply in Northern Ireland, unless otherwise stated.

Government procurement rules to put focus on UK jobs and skills

Businesses bidding for government contracts will have to meet fresh criteria over their contribution to UK jobs, local skills and opportunities for young people under new procurement rules announced by the government. The changes will double the weighting given to local community benefits in public contracts worth £5m or more, increasing it from 10% to 20%. Personnel Today has more.

GB EHRC code of practice comes into force

The new code of practice for services, public functions and associations takes effect today (5 August), and continues to attract challenges. The code, set out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, does not directly apply to employers but will impact those that are also service providers. The EHRC published the updated code on 14 July, having been subject to a public consultation following the Supreme Court ruling in April 2025 that sex, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, means biological sex. This means that service providers can lawfully provide separate or single-sex services where the arrangement is a “proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim”. More from Personnel Today.

The 2027 GB unfair dismissal overhaul – a survival guide for employers

The clock is ticking for GB employers. By 1 January 2027, the GB Employment Rights Act 2025 will dismantle two longstanding pillars of unfair dismissal law, forcing businesses to rethink how they manage their workforce from the very first day of employment. More from Personnel Today.

New Acas code suggests greater informality on disciplinary and grievance matters

Acas has launched a consultation on a new draft Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures that places a much stronger emphasis on resolving workplace concerns informally before they escalate into formal processes or employment tribunal claims. The revised code, the first full update since 2009, seeks to encourage employers and workers to address concerns early through informal conversations, with Acas arguing that effective informal resolution can reduce costs, improve workplace relationships and prevent unnecessary conflict. More from Personnel Today.

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Labour Relations Agency

The LRA is celebrating 50 years of public service – congratulations from all at Legal Island! Watch their celebratory video here. 

'From eight-strong team to powerhouse of over 80': London law firm celebrates five years in Northern Ireland

The Belfast office of law firm Lewis Silkin this year marks its fifth anniversary, and in just half a decade has grown more than tenfold from a team of eight to a team of over 80. UK-based Lewis Silkin first joined forces with Belfast-based employment law specialists Jones Cassidy Brett in 2021 before merging with tech-focused NI law firm Forde Campbell the following year. You can read more on this from the News Letter.

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Employment Law at 11: Theft, Fraud & Dishonesty at Work

Sponsored by HRLocker 

📅TODAY!
⏰This morning at 11am!
📍Live online | Free to attend

From retail losses to employee fraud investigations, workplace dishonesty is an issue making headlines across multiple sectors.

Join Legal Island’s Christine Quinn and Seamus McGranaghan of O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors at the next Employment Law at 11 for a session on what employers can (and can't) do when theft or dishonesty allegations arise.

We'll cover:

• The legal threshold for dismissal
• Handling disciplinary and criminal investigations at the same time
• What happens after dismissal

REGISTER HERE

Can't wait til then? Catch up with the last webinar.........

Employment Law at 11 - Real Cases, Real Lessons

Sponsored by HRLocker

If you didn't get to join Seamus McGranaghan, O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors & Christine Quinn, Legal Island in the latest Employment Law at 11 as they discussed NI caselaw - shoplifters, swearing and ChatGPT, don't worry - you can catch up here.

Enjoy your weekend!

Legal Island

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