5 Must-Knows This Week:

1. Former NI PwC employee settles age and disability discrimination claim for £150,000 ⚖️
2. Managers’ most dreaded workplace scenarios revealed 😬
3. Data protection provisions of the Data (Use and Access) Act come into force 🔐
4. Rise in falsified employment histories creates fresh HR headaches🧩
5. HR Interview: Kerri Smyth, People Business Partner from Kukoon: From Paris to Newry 🗼

In other news................You wouldn’t usually put ‘enjoyable’ and ‘tribunal’ in the same sentence but our Mock Tribunal Hearing in partnership with top-tier law firm Tughans LLP gives you a safe, fly‑on‑the‑wall chance to uncover insights from well-known NI legal experts.  Join us on the 14th of April - you can find out more here.

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. HR Skill Builder
4. Recruitment
5. Former NI PwC Employee Settles Age and Disability Discrimination Case for £150,000
6. UK sleepwalking into joblessness epidemic, Tesco boss warns
7. Commencement of the data protection provisions in the Data (Use and Access) Act
8. Legislation Update
9. Just in Case You Missed It...
10. HR Developments
11. Health & Safety Developments
12. Employment News in the Media
13. GB Developments
14. Free Webinars This Month

McBride v Northern Health and Social Care Trust [2025] NIIT/FET 29452/21

Summary Description: 

Having an investigation into poor handling of a service user was not a repudiatory breach of contract when there was evidence given to the respondent showing such behaviour.

Claimant: 

Collette McBride

Respondent: 

Northern Health and Social Care Trust

Practical Guidance for Employers:

A fairly protracted case relating to the investigation and disciplinary matters as well as the processing of the resignations. That being said, the Tribunal found that there was no repudiatory breach of the contract and that it was reasonable to conduct the investigation and disciplinary matter considering the evidence given.  The respondent also kept good records in relation to the alleged suspension and was very clearly able to show that the suspension did not take place.  This collation of evidence was important for the respondent in being able to refute the claims made.

Read the Review in full: McBride v Northern Health and Social Care Trust [2025]

Woolsey v Education Authority & Board of Governors of Ballyoran Primary School [2026] NIIT 32068/23

Summary Description: 

The refusal of the Education Authority to permit a further increment on the leadership scale in a school was within its powers and the Tribunal could not question the reasonableness of that decision.

Claimant: 

Richard Woolsey

Respondent: 

Board of Governors of Ballyoran Primary School

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case rested on the authority of the Education Authority to approve exceptional requests to grant a greater spine point rather than it solely resting with the Board of Governors or merely being a rubber-stamping exercise on the part of the Education Authority.  As a result, there was no deduction from the wages received.

Read the Review in full: Woolsey v Education Authority & Board of Governors of Ballyoran Primary School [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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Managing Employee AI Use in Redundancy Consultations

The growing use of AI tools, often promoted as enhancing productivity, has contributed to many businesses streamlining operations and restructuring their workforces. However, employees placed at risk of redundancy are increasingly using AI to challenge aspects of the redundancy process, creating new practical issues for employers. In this article, Frances Gosling, Associate at Bird & Bird takes a look at some of the key considerations.

AI notetakers are creating HR nightmares

Employers are facing a new workplace hazard: AI notetakers that don’t know when to stop listening. In some virtual meetings, employees drop off the call while an AI assistant stays behind, quietly documenting gossip or disparaging remarks made by remaining employees, then emailing the transcript to the full team. However, recorded meetings lead individual contributors to speak nearly as much as managers, with women participating 9% more than men. This article from Fortune looks at the risks and benefits.

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

Barry is taking a well-deserved break from podcasting this week, but he will be back soon with a brand-new episode.

In the meantime, why not catch up on his recent discussion, Is ChatGPT Safe to Use in the Private and Third Sector? In this episode, Barry Phillips asks whether the data security concerns around ChatGPT are really justified.

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

Listen on 🎧Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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

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📅Thursday, 19 February 2026
⏰12:30 - 14:00 ( 1 hour 30 mins )
📍Online

Part of the Skill Builder for HR: 6 x 6 series, monthly, 90-minute practical HR and employment law sessions designed exclusively for senior HR professionals and business leaders. Leading HR Consultant, Denise Collins from ForeBee Consulting, equips HR professionals in Northern Ireland with practical, step-by-step guidance to manage investigations confidently and effectively. More here.

Legal Island Employment Law Hub Members receive two FREE Skill builder places*

*As part of their subscription - worth £270. T&Cs apply.

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

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Apprenticeship clearing system to be introduced

A new clearing-style system will be introduced to match young people who miss out on an apprenticeship with alternative placements, the government has said. Similar to university and college clearing - a process which matches students with institutions that have unfilled places - the online platform will provide information about available roles in their chosen area of interest. More from BBC News.

And...

Apprenticeships will mobilise the economy

As employers announce thousands of new apprenticeship roles to mark National Apprenticeship Week, former skills minister Robert Halfon explains why they need parity of esteem with university routes if the economy is to thrive in this article for Personnel Today.

How an increase in falsified employment history is causing HR headaches

Online forums, fake CVs and reference black markets are making it easier for prospective job applicants to falsify their employment history. One in four people have lied about employer references, according to research by Standout CV, with 18.5 per cent of this group having used fake reference services, sometimes involving paid actors pretending to be employers, writes People Management. More here.

64% of UK professionals have declined a job offer due to these red flags

A new study by global talent solutions partner, Robert Walters reveals that 64% of UK professionals have declined a job offer after a poor interview experience, including:

• Negative impressions of the company’s culture or values (41%)
• Disorganised scheduling or processes (37%)
• Poor explanation of the role (22%)

More from Onrec.

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A woman who had worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers Services Ltd (PwC) for more than 40 years has settled her case of age and disability discrimination against the company for £150,000. The case was supported by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. More from the Equality Commission here.

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The UK is “sleepwalking into a quiet epidemic” of joblessness with millions of people out of work and on benefits, the boss of the nation’s biggest supermarket chain has warned. Ashwin Prasad, who runs the UK arm of Tesco, said he believed far fewer people were in work than should be and that taxpayers were spending “an ever increasing proportion of our national income on out-of-work benefits”. The rate of unemployment sat at a four-year high of 5.1%, according to official data released last month. The Guardian has more.

And...

UK economy grew by 0.1% in last three months of 2025

The UK economy grew by 0.1% in the final quarter of last year, figures from the Office for National Statistics show. As for annual growth, GDP is estimated to have increased by 1.3% in 2025, following growth of 1.1% in 2024.
The ONS provides this breakdown:

•    Services were flat 0% growth
•    Production rose 1.2%
•    Construction was down 2.1%

You can read more here.

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On 5 February 2026, the main changes to data protection legislation in Part 5 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (“DUAA“) came into force. DLA Piper sets out some of the key changes in the DUAA which came into effect on 5 February. 2026.

And....

The ICO guidance can be found here.

Data protection in employment can feel like a minefield. Our online Northern Ireland Data Protection Update 2026 event on Thursday 4th of June brings expertise from leading law firm Pinsent Masons and the ICO to provide clear, confident guidance on what really matters.

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The Good Jobs Employment Rights Bill in Northern Ireland: what it means for businesses

The Good Jobs Employment Rights Bill represents the most substantial reform to employment law in Northern Ireland in decades. Although the Good Jobs Bill is still in development, with draft legislation yet to be published, the proposals - built around four core themes of terms of employment, pay and benefits, voice and representation and work‑life balance - provide a clear indication of what changes businesses can expect in the coming years. Gareth Walls and Christopher Leneghan from A&L Goodbody provide their insights.

Join Gareth Walls, Partner at A&L Goodbody (NI) LLP and self-confessed TUPE ‘geek’ on 23rd of April as he shares insights into managing TUPE transfers as part of Legal Island's Skill Builder for HR: 6 x 6 series, monthly, 90-minute practical HR and employment law sessions designed exclusively for senior HR professionals and business leaders in Northern Ireland. You can sign up here.

The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

Views can be submitted on whether the proposed legislation is accurate, complete and whether it may result in any unintended or unanticipated consequences. The deadline for submissions is 25/02/2026. See more here.

Read the draft legislation here.

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HR Interview Series: Kerri Smyth, People Business Partner from Kukoon

Forget 'Emily in Paris'! Meet the real HR story of moving from Paris to Newry, the challenges of talent acquisition and the tale of a mischevious cat. Read here.

Q&A with Arthur Cox

Stay ahead of the curve with our exclusive Q&A series, brought to you by leading law firm, Arthur Cox, LLP, designed to answer your most pressing legal questions. These expert insights provide clear guidance to ensure your HR practices remain compliant and protect your organisation.

This month's questions:

1. What is parental bereavement leave and pay, and who is entitled to take up to two weeks off work following the death of a child under 18 or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy?
2. How does an employee’s right to return to work change if she takes ‘additional maternity leave’?
3. What are the obligations on an employer when an employee is called for jury service?

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Managers’ most dreaded work scenarios, revealed

New research has revealed that having to make someone redundant, delivering negative feedback, and colleagues challenging their authority are the workplace scenarios keeping managers up at night. And what challenge did most dread? You can find out here from HR Director.

The rise of pleasanteeism, the pressure employees feel to appear “fine” at work

Nearly seven in ten UK employees are now pretending to be well at work when they are not, according to new research from Lime Health, marking a sharp increase from 51% reported in 2021. Employees cited money worries (49%), a lack of understanding from management (26%), and negative stigma around health (19%) as the main reasons for concealing health concerns in the workplace. More from HR Director.

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HSENI new advertising initiative aimed at reducing over 300 work-related deaths estimated to occur annually in Northern Ireland

With figures estimating that past workplace exposures to dusts, fumes and gases amongst other harmful substances could be resulting in over 300 people dying each year in Northern Ireland, the initiative illustrates how serious the issue is and the need for awareness of work-related health in all workplaces.

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Some senior managers at the Co-op have complained of a "toxic culture" at the executive level of the 180-year-old member-owned food and services group that prides itself on its ethical values. Several sources also said they feel a culture that discourages any challenge has led to a series of poor decisions resulting in sinking morale, abrupt departures, as well as a "sharp drop in profits and a rocketing of food waste". You can read more on this from the BBC.

A disability charity has been ordered to pay a lifelong Crohn’s disease sufferer more than £150,000 after a judge ruled it dismissed him unfairly. Shared Lives South West was aware from the start that William Drysdale-Wood had a lifelong Crohn’s disease condition with a degree of sickness absence, the court heard but his employment was terminated after two periods of absence. Civil Society has more.

Global law firm Baker McKenzie is set to shed dozens of roles at its Belfast operation following a review of the business. A spokesperson said the firm had recently undertaken a review “aimed at rethinking the ways in which we work, including through our use of AI, introducing efficiencies, and investing in those roles that best serve our clients’ needs”. The Irish News has more.

The BBC reports Google executives are facing pressure from staff over the company's ties to the federal government's crackdown on immigration enforcement, which in recent months turned violent and deadly. In an open letter published on Friday, nearly 900 full-time Google employees demanded more transparency over what the company's technology is being used for inside the US government. More here.

Christian Mallon made seeking compensation ‘his chosen career’, according to a judge, firing off more than 4,600 often hopeless job applications, not to secure employment but so he could cry discrimination, often involving his ADHD and autism disabilities, ‘no matter how weak his application’.  The Daily Mail reported on his Artificial Intelligence-aided campaign and the Attorney General banned him from launching fresh ‘vexatious’ employment tribunal claims. Read here. 

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

Trade union reforms come into force next week

Several changes to trade union regulations take effect next week under the Employment Rights Act 2025. From 18 February 2026, most of the Trade Union Act 2016 will be repealed. The reforms: 

• simplify ballot paper and industrial action notice requirements,
• remove the 10‑year political fund ballot,
• reduce notice for industrial action from 14 to 10 days, and scrap the 40% support threshold for “important public services”
• the mandate for industrial action will increase from six to 12 months
• protection against dismissal will cover the full duration of a strike rather than the current 12 weeks.

The changes also remove obligations around supervised picketing and reverse the “check‑off” restrictions introduced in the public sector in 2024. Personnel Today has more.

GB Employment Rights Act 2025: key consultations in 2026

The Employment Rights Act 2025 (“ERA”) marks a significant overhaul of UK employment law, and much of its final shape will be determined by an extensive series of Government consultations throughout this year. These consultations invite input from employers, workers, and representative bodies, focusing on the secondary legislation and codes of practice that will underpin the new legal framework. In this Keynote article, employment lawyers Emma Clark and Imogen Dale highlight areas likely to be of greatest interest to employers and employees.

Make Work Pay: GB Consultation on improving access to flexible working

Using powers in the Employment Rights Act the Westminster government will set out a new consultation process that employers must follow when they are unable to accept a statutory flexible working request. A ‘reasonableness test’ which means employers must accept statutory flexible working requests that are reasonable and feasible will come in to force in 2027. The Government is seeking views on improving access to flexible working and responses need to be submitted by 30 April 2026.  You can find out more here.

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Employment Law at 11

📅 Friday 6th March

🕒 11am to 11.45am

📍 Live online | Free to attend

Register here. 

While you’re waiting for our March webinar, catch up on Employment Law at 11 Case Law Special: Why Clear Contracts Matter.

This session dives into Northern Ireland tribunal decisions where unclear contract drafting - from vague notice clauses to inconsistent pay terms - has cost employers dearly. Christine Quinn, Seamus McGranaghan and Jason Elliott BL unpack the lessons, showing how to tighten your terms and avoid common pitfalls.

Don’t wait until you’re in front of a tribunal, get your contracts right from the start.

Enjoy your weekend!

Legal Island

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