Top 5 Reads: 

1. Skill Builder for HR: Workplace coaching skills 📢
2. Grapple Law: "I'm not represented - I just used an app" - employers and solicitors beware!⚠️
3. University worker wins £51,000 disability payout after misgendering trans colleague 💰
4. One in five UK managers have no training on sexual harassment 🤷‍♀️
5. Blog: Bringing trust with you... 💡

In other news................It may still be summer, but we're already preparing for a busy autumn season! Our calendar is filling up with events designed to help you connect, learn and stay ahead. Find out more here.

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. New Skill Builder for HR just announced!
4. Disabilities and reasonable adjustments
5. Unwell employees getting 19.5 weeks’ full pay, finds research
6. NHS cracks down on unlawful staff access to patient data
7. Salary information to be shown on job ads under new laws
8. Just in Case You Missed It...
9. HR Developments
10. Health & Safety Developments
11. Employment News in the Media
12. GB Developments
13. Free Webinars This Month

Scott v Anderson Gillan Barr Ltd [2026] NIIT 35952/23 

Summary Description: 

Claimant not constructively dismissed when arguing that there should be full pay during sickness absence following a TUPE transfer. There was no custom and practice that had developed during her employment to allow for such payments as a contractual entitlement.

Claimant: Kelly Scott 

Respondent: Anderson Gillan Barr Ltd 

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case stems from a lack of written policy or contractual entitlement to sick pay with the original employer and that arising as an issue following a TUPE transfer. Whilst it would be open to an employee to show that there was an implied term through custom and practice it would have to be evidenced that this was recognised over a prolonged period of time. This could not be evidenced and led to the case unravelling. The key point is that, notwithstanding the TUPE point, that there should be clear contractual terms in relation to sickness absence policies and pay following. From a TUPE perspective, it would be important to have this dealt with some certainty; it was raised in earlier correspondence leading to the transfer but was not actually fully answered in the replies.

Read the Review in full: Scott v Anderson Gillan Barr Ltd [2026]

Darragh v Rosnashane Holdings Ltd [2026] NIIT 30206/25 

Summary Description:

Claimant was dismissed without notice and the Tribunal found that notice pay and holiday pay should be paid at a newer rate of national minimum wage rather than the old rate the claimant received.

Claimant: Anne Marie Darragh

Respondent: Rosnashane Holdings Ltd

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case may have had small figures but does demonstrate the Tribunal’s view when it comes to the national minimum wage and changes in that could have a knock-on effect relating to holiday pay and notice pay. It would be perverse to suggest that notice pay, or holiday pay should be at an older lower rate. The Tribunal operated with a common-sense approach in allowing for the increased figure to give those orders.

Read the Review in full: Darragh v Rosnashane Holdings 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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Half of GenZ feel guilty using AI at work despite growing employer demand

AI skills have become one of the UK’s most sought-after hiring attributes, yet many younger employees still feel uncomfortable using the technology at work. New global research from Employment Hero reveals that half of Gen Z workers experience “AI guilt”, with many using AI without their employer’s knowledge. The findings highlight the growing need for clear AI policies, practical guidance and responsible workplace governance. HRD Connect has more on this.

"I'm not represented - I just used an app": Grapple Law, AI claim generators, and what respondent solicitors need to know

3PB barrister Emma McIlveen BL writes about the new breed of platform, which is quietly reshaping employment tribunal practice. Grapple Law, marketed as an AI-powered legal platform for individuals and small businesses, allows users to generate ET1 claims, draft legal letters, and respond to disputes without instructing a solicitor. It is slick, it is accessible, and it is entirely unregulated. For respondent solicitors, it raises an immediate and practical question: how do you deal with a claimant using Grapple Law?

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

As AI continues to reshape employment law, questions about accountability and oversight are becoming increasingly important. Barry Phillips explores these issues in one of his latest AI for HR Weekly podcast, examining the responsibilities that come with using AI in legal practice. Catch up with the episode here.

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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A series of monthly, 90-minute practical HR and employment law sessions designed exclusively for senior HR professionals and business leaders in Northern Ireland. We have 2 more Skill Builders for HR coming up in the Autumn season. The first is.....

Skill Builder for HR: Workplace Coaching Skills

📅NEW DATE: 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.

Your Skill Builder perk is back: 
As a valued Employment Law Hub subscriber, you have 2 free places for this Autumn's Skill Builder for HR sessions even if you used your Spring allocation. Multi-user subscriptions get this per named subscriber, so your whole team can benefit. You can also share extra free places with colleagues using code HubGift, no need to check with us first. Simply add your places to cart and enter the code at checkout to bring the cost to £0. You should have recently received an email from us with full session details and how to claim — please check your inbox (and spam folder, just in case). 

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

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University worker wins £51,000 disability payout after misgendering trans colleague

A university worker has been awarded over £51,000 in a disability discrimination case after her employer failed to account for her short-term memory issues when she misgendered a transgender colleague. Karenne Sylvester was found to have "harassed" a trans colleague following an investigation by the University of Manchester. An employment tribunal heard that Ms Sylvester "persistently" used incorrect pronouns for the colleague, a trans man, making him cry several times. More from the Independent.

Employer should have known employee's diabetes was a disability

In this case, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) held that an employer who was aware that an employee had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes could not avoid liability for an alleged failure to make reasonable adjustments on the basis that it did not know that the employee was disabled. DAC Beachcroft outlines the case here.

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Employers continue to provide occupational sick pay well above statutory minimums despite recent reforms to statutory sick pay (SSP). The findings, from a survey by employment research group Incomes Data Research, come after the Employment Rights Act 2025 extended eligibility for SSP to all employees. Statutory sick pay is now payable at £123.85 a week, or 80% of average weekly earnings where this is lower. Personnel Today has more on this.

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NHS staff have been issued with a warning that accessing patient data without legal justification for doing so is likely to result in dismissal – and potential incarceration. The clampdown comes after a number of recent instances in which health-service workers have been fired for unlawfully “accessing the medical records of victims of high-profile crimes”, according to NHS England. Public Technology has more on this story.

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Employers will have to publish salary information in job adverts under government plans to rewrite anti-discrimination laws. Details of other job conditions could also have to be disclosed to candidates, under the draft proposals. Ministers argue greater transparency will help people navigate the jobs market and could prevent future pay discrimination claims. You can read more on this from the BBC.

Equal pay system to be improved as government launches consultation process

Businesses, public bodies, trade unions, and civil society organisations across Great Britain are being invited to help shape the government’s next steps on equal pay reform. The consultation invites views from key stakeholders on how best to fix the equal pay system and you can read the full press release here.

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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.....

Bringing trust with you…

Few would argue about the importance of “Trust” in teams. We know it is the foundational principle to all relationships and a key factor in high performance… but how do you build it in a time of remote working? Paula Milligan, Senior Partner from Dynamic Partners, looks at techniques in this article.

What is your view on precautionary suspension when you have an allegation of sexual harassment? Would you suspend the alleged perpetrator?

Is precautionary suspension the right response to every allegation of sexual harassment? This article explains why suspension should never be automatic, the factors employers should consider, and when alternative measures may be more appropriate to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. Read more from Seamus McGranaghan, Director – Commercial, Education, Employment & Licensing, O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors. 

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How to stop grievances escalating

This article from People Management highlights practical actions employers can take to prevent internal complaints becoming tribunal claims.

The leaders who actually changed

This article from Forbes features leaders Joy Rohadfox of Rohadfox Construction and Janis Ware of the Atlanta Voice, who exemplify a nuanced approach to modern workplace management. They adeptly balance adapting to younger workers' needs, such as flexible schedules, with maintaining unwavering standards and project deadlines. You can read more here.

FPH paper calls for urgent national conversation on disciplinary investigations

The Faculty of Public Health has published a new paper showing that disciplinary investigations are now a public health concern, with poorly applied processes causing predictable and preventable harm across the UK workforce. With 1.7 million cases a year and workplace conflict costing employers £28.5bn, the paper argues that current approaches ‘prioritise procedure over people’ and reduce organisational effectiveness across sectors. FPH is calling for a national conversation on how investigations are designed and delivered, and for organisations to adopt approaches that are fairer and safer. Read more on this from HR Director.

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Heatwaves: how to close the UK’s cooling divide

Adapting to intense heat is not a choice but a necessity. Thousands of people – up to 440 per day – lost their lives prematurely during the record-breaking May and June heatwaves in England and Wales. Heatwaves hotter than 45°C could be possible in the 2050s. But in the face of extreme heat, the UK’s lack of preparedness is glaring. This article from the Conversation looks into how workplaces, buildings and community spaces can be better equipped.

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The chief executive of Volkswagen has confirmed plans to cut 50,000 more jobs despite the carmaker’s supervisory board rejecting his plan to shut four factories in Germany. Oliver Blume told staff on Monday that proposals for a sprawling restructuring was “the most comprehensive realignment in the company’s history” and revolved around “12 initiatives, approximately 150 pages and 45 individual resolutions” for change. More from the Guardian.

For weeks, reports warning of a "bloodbath", external at Microsoft's video game studios had been circulating after the division's new chief executive, Asha Sharma, released a memo saying she planned to "reset the business". About a month later, workers learned about 3,200 of them - an estimated 20% of the console-maker's staff - were being let go. Half immediately, with the remaining 1,600 over the next 12 months. You can read more on this from the BBC.

The Good Law Project is suing the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI), for failing to comply with its obligations towards trans people under EU law and the European Convention on Human Rights.  On Monday 7 July, Good Law Project and a woman who is trans wrote to the ECNI about advice it had given, that a woman without a gender recognition certificate (GRC) must use the men’s toilets.
 
Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META, XETRA:FB2A, SIX:FB) is facing a lawsuit from 26 employees in the US who allege the company used artificial intelligence tools and automated workplace metrics to select workers for mass layoffs, with the plaintiffs claiming the process disproportionately affected employees who had taken protected medical, parental or family leave. More from Proactive Investors.

The Irish airline Aer Lingus has proposed cutting up to 500 jobs under a new cost-cutting plan. Under the plan, 290 roles in its head office at Dublin Airport, along with 140 cabin roles and 70 pilot positions are at threat. The airline currently employs about 6,000 people. It also said that a planned 6% reduction in its flight capacity would come into effect by removing "poor performing routes". BBC has more.

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

One in five UK managers have no training on sexual harassment, despite being the first people employees turn to

From 1 October 2026, the Employment Rights Act which applies in England, Scotland and Wales raises the bar from “reasonable steps” to “all reasonable steps”. Under the current standard, an employer can point to some effort and argue it was reasonable. Under the new standard, the burden falls on employers to explain anything left undone. Managers are typically the first point of contact an employee reports to when something happens, yet only 30% of businesses provide them with dedicated training on how to respond. Almost a third (32%) fold manager training into general staff sessions, and a fifth (21%) provide no specific manager training at all. Legal Futures has more.

And...

EHRC research on workplace harassment

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) recently published a summary of research that it had commissioned on harassment in the workplace. The report stresses that harassment is ‘endemic’ and that women, workers with disabilities and those from ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected.  Abigail McKean, Senior Knowledge Lawyer, Stevens & Bolton, outlines how managers can create a healthy workplace culture.

The Equality Act 2010 (Code of Practice on Services, Public Functions and Associations) (Commencement) Order 2026

The purpose of these statutory instruments is to revoke, with effect from 5 August 2026, the Equality Act 2010 Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations (“the 2011 Code of Practice”), which was brought into force on 6th April 2011 (SI 2011 No. 8571), and to commence the new Equality Act 2010 Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations (“the Code”). More here.

Ministers set specific dates for 2026 Employment Rights Act measures

In GB, the government has published a fresh update on its plans for implementing the Employment Rights Act 2025, with specific dates being added to many of the Act’s provisions.

Most of the new dates are simply confirmation of when within the month the implementation of a measure will take place; for example, the duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade union has now been given the date of 30 October, rather than just being at an unspecified time in October. Similarly, electronic and workplace balloting for trade union ballots has been given the specific date of 31 August (previously just August). See the full list of dates in Personnel Today.

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Employment Law at 11 - Real Cases, Real Lessons

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.

 
Seamus and Christine will return with Employment Law at 11 on Friday 7th August. Register here. 

Enjoy your weekend!

Legal Island

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