Top 5 headlines: 

1. Even MPs take 'sickies' so how can HR tackle 'avoidance' absence? ⚠️
2. Businesses to be legally liable if staff abused by clients, contractors or members of public 🤬
3. 21% of UK employers are planning to make redundancies - CIPD 🪓
4. An ‘AI legal team’ has won its first case. Can AI replace lawyers? ⚖️
5. FREE Webinar - Re-thinking DEI: From Consensus to Candour 🎥

In other news................In our NEW Mock Workplace Investigation event, you'll see a case unfold from complaint to investigation conclusion and gain insights from every twist and turn. 🔎 Book your spot now!

DON'T FORGET: Hub subscribers get 2 free places at this Autumn’s Skill Builder for HR sessions. 💡

1. Annual Review of Employment Law 2026: Gender Pay Gap & Pay Transparency
2. Case Law Reviews
3. AI and Employment Law
4. Skill Builder for HR: Workplace Coaching Skills
5. Economic Outlook
6. Data Protection
7. DEI
8. Just in Case You Missed It...
9. HR Developments
10. Employment News in the Media
11. GB Developments
12. Free Webinars this Month

Session of the Week: Gender Pay Gap Reporting & Pay Transparency: Why Waiting isn’t a Strategy

David Lormier, Partner, Lewis Silkin (NI) LLP examines the impact of gender pay gap reporting and pay transparency, and why proactive NI employers are acting now rather than waiting for change to arrive.

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

Back to Top

AA v YY [2026] NIIT 44879/24

Summary Description: 

The Respondent failed in its duty to make reasonable adjustments by requiring the disabled employee to undergo a recruitment trawl for a post they occupied as a result of a reasonable adjustment previously made.

Claimant: AA

Respondent: YY 

Practical Guidance for Employers:

The question of what constitutes a reasonable adjustment can be a difficult one considering the varied contexts of an individual’s work and their disability. The comment can also be made that it can unduly advantage a disabled colleague compared to non-disabled colleagues.  However, the law is very clear on this point: where the duty to make reasonable adjustments gives a disabled employee an advantage, that is both permissible and to be expected. This goes back to ensuring that those suffering with disabilities can be supported within their workplace and to stay within employment.  As a result, it was expected that that additional support may be seen as receiving an advantage. That point was made in the context of the recruitment trawl process and was relied upon as evidence of a failure to make reasonable adjustments.

Read the Review in full: AA v YY [2026]

Tait v Holiday Extras Ltd [2026] Case No: 6012387/2024 

Summary Description: 

Claimant was successful in a claim that reasonable adjustments had not been made especially in relation to the type of work (live chat/emails rather than voice calls) being undertaken. 

Claimant: L Tait 

Respondent: Holiday Extras Ltd 

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case provides a whole series of reasonable adjustments as requested by the claimant which the Tribunal had to examine and make decisions on. Many of them as noted above were allowed with the Tribunal examining the respondent’s arguments against the make-up of the team, the workload, and the claimant’s disability. The Tribunal demonstrated the importance of the factual context within the workplace and the claimant’s disability in terms of each and every adjustment that was requested and refused as to whether there was a failure and whether the adjustment was reasonable. The Tribunal did make clear the overarching objective of the legislation in ensuring that employees with disabilities can remain in work (generally) but also in such a way to avoid having to take greater periods of sick leave.  This is something which should be borne in mind by employers when faced with making adjustments for disabled members of staff.

Read the Review in full: Tait v Holiday Extras Ltd [2026]

Back to Top

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.

Back to Top

An ‘AI Legal Team’ has Won its First Case. Can AI Replace Lawyers?

Last week, the Fair Work Commission ruled Gregory Baker, a computing academic at Macquarie University, should be treated as an ongoing, part-time employee, after the university had earlier declined his request to convert from a casual role. It was immediately described as a “landmark” decision, the first test of Labor’s “employee choice pathway” reforms passed in 2024. But the ruling also made headlines for other reasons. Baker represented himself at the tribunal, and has said he won with the help of trained artificial intelligence (AI) agents. The Conversation has more on this story.

And…

England: SRA Warning Reminds Solicitors of Professional Obligations when using AI

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued a warning notice to solicitors in England reminding them of their professional obligations when using AI. Irish Legal News has more.

UK: Police unveil £1.8m AI system to cut 101 queues and free frontline time

The UK government has announced the introduction of AI on the police’s non-emergency line with the aim of cutting waiting times, reducing pressure on call handlers and ensuring the public reach the right department quicker. Irish Legal News has the full story. 

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

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.

Back to Top

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

📅NEXT WEEK! 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.

Back to Top

Inflation Leaps to 2.9 per cent

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) put the consumer price index inflation reading at 2.9 per cent for the 12 months to July. The previous inflation reading was 2.6 per cent. Services inflation, a measure closely watched by Bank of England policymakers given it provides signals on wage pressures, eased to 3.4 per cent while core inflation, which strips out food and energy, was 2.6 per cent. City AM has more.

NI Labour Market Statistics - August 2026

The labour market statistics were published by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency. Key findings include:

• NI employees had a median monthly pay of £2,498 in July 2026, an increase of £15 (0.6%) over the month and an increase of £129 (5.4%) over the year.
• The proportion of people aged 16 to 64 in work (the employment rate) decreased by 0.4pps over the quarter and increased by 0.5pps over the year to 72.0%.

More here.

CIPD: Labour Market Outlook

The CIPD’s quarterly Labour Market Outlook provides forward-looking labour market data and analysis on employers’ recruitment, redundancy and pay intentions in the UK.  Key points in this update include:

•    Just 57% of employers in the private sector plan to recruit over the next three months
•    The median expected basic pay increase remains at 3% overall
•    21% of employers are planning to make redundancies in the three months up to September 2026

You can download the report here.

Back to Top

Consultation on Workplace Monitoring Technologies Emphasises Data Protection Challenges  

WMT can take many forms, including location tracking, biometric access, digital activity monitoring, and automated performance evaluation. However, estimates of its prevalence vary, and therefore, the government consultation seeks information on how WMT is currently used by employers, how its use is communicated to employees, and the perceived benefits and harms of such use. It then sets out and seeks views on three policy approaches to the future regulation of WMT. Jade Kowalski and Kate Galloway from DAC Beachcroft provide an overview.

ICO warns over expanding backlog as complaint caseload grows threefold in a year

The data protection regulator has revealed that, after missing out on requested funding at the last spending review, its number of cases awaiting attention is growing by 400 a month. The Information Commissioner’s Office has warned of a growing backlog in FOI complaints as it struggles to deal with “unprecedented” demand. The ICO currently has an active caseload of 4,476, as of July 2026, up from 1,595 in April 2025. The data watchdog said it has insufficient resources to tackle the number of FOI complaints after its bid for more funding was rejected at the 2025 Spending Review. More from Public Technology. 

Back to Top

Co-op Overhauls Transgender and Non-binary Toilet Policy After New Legal Guidance

Co-op has changed its transgender and non-binary inclusion policy, removing previous guidance that allowed staff to use the gender-specific toilets in which they felt safest. Its former policy told colleagues working at sites with gender-specific toilets that they could use the facilities they felt most comfortable using and would not be expected to use disabled toilets instead. Those instructions have now been removed. Under its updated policy, Co-op said it recognises that trans, non-binary and intersex colleagues may find it difficult to feel comfortable or safe using gendered toilets. The grocer said that, wherever possible, it will instead provide “gender neutral individual lockable units, with inclusive signage”, while separate facilities will be provided to support the privacy, dignity and safety of staff. More from Retail Gazette.

Single Father Unfairly Dismissed After Taking Unpaid Leave for Childcare, Tribunal Rules

A security guard and single father has been awarded more than £8,000 for unfair dismissal after his employer terminated his contract during a 10-month stint of unpaid leave, a tribunal has ruled. Bakary Jawneh – who had worked for security services firm G4S Secure Solutions (UK) for more than nine years – opted to take unpaid leave so he could “resolve the situation” with his son, after he brought him on-site when his childcare fell through. While G4S agreed to unpaid leave, the company later falsely recorded Jawneh as having resigned because of “family issues” and did not notify him that his employment had ended. People Management has more.

Availability of support stalling hiring for neurodivergent workers

The growing gap in the hiring of employees with disabilities in Ireland is due in part to a lack of confidence among employers that they can meet the needs of a more diverse workforce. Social enterprise platform Now Group has published the results of a report exploring the impact caution and fear is having on the recruitment of employees with additional needs. You can read more from Silicon Republic.

Back to Top

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.....

S is for Sickness Absence 

Sickness absence is an unavoidable part of working life, but managing it can involve difficult judgements. Employers must balance concern for an employee's health with the need to maintain attendance, cover work and deliver services, particularly where absence is prolonged or recurring. Read more from Niall O'Higgins HR Consultant, AAB.

Q&A: Can an employer refuse annual leave during a busy period?

Find out when employers can lawfully refuse holiday requests, the notice they must give, and the limits on their discretion under the Working Time Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016. We also look at why employers must ensure employees still have a genuine opportunity to take their full statutory annual leave entitlement. Madison Bowyer, Associate in the Employment Law Group of Arthur Cox NI, has more.

Back to Top

MP Admits Pulling a Sickie to Avoid Difficult Questions – How Can HR Tackle ‘Avoidance’ Absence?

If an employee feels they can’t be honest about their reason for an absence, that should be a warning sign. Especially if they feel like pulling a sickie is the only way to avoid work pressures. Misrepresenting the reason for absence doesn’t do anyone any good, especially when it’s caused by workload, stress, conflict, or a perceived inability to raise concerns openly. More from HR Director. 

How the Best Leaders Shape Conversations

This article from the Harvard Business Review reflect how can leaders transform team conversations from sources of frustration into engines of collaboration.

To Joke or Not to Joke? How to Write a Good Out-of-office Message

You're finally about to head off on a well-earned break, but there's one more task to tick off your to-do list: composing an out-of-office reply. Experts say there are clear dos and don'ts when it comes to writing an out-of-office message (OOO) - and getting it wrong can have more serious consequences than you might think. Here are their rules to penning the perfect out-of-office reply in this BBC article.

Back to Top

A manager at YO! Sushi who was sacked for failing to report allegations of harassment has been awarded over £32,000 for unfair dismissal and sex discrimination. The tribunal heard that Stanley Dowling, received a message from a member of staff alleging she had been sexually harassed by a colleague, the Nottingham tribunal heard. Despite not being on shift, Dowling notified the branch’s deputy manager, gave the staff member permission to leave the restaurant and later informed the operations manager. However, following an investigation, Dowling was dismissed for failure to act. People Management has more on this.

Personnel Today reports a woman has lost her claim for unfair dismissal and breach of contract to an employment tribunal after she was sacked for working remotely from France.

The boss of Travelodge has stepped down as the budget hotel chain scrambles to improve safety after two incidents where guests were assaulted at its hotels. The firm said Joanna Boydell left on Monday after 13 years with the company and will be replaced by chief financial officer Ray Reidy on an interim basis while they hunt for a permanent successor. The Guardian has more. 

Back to Top

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

Third-party Harassment: How Employers Can Prepare for Changes

From 30 October 2026, businesses become legally liable if their staff are abused by clients, contractors or members of the public. But what is the moment ordinary rudeness escalates into conduct that triggers the duty and what are the key areas organisations need to focus on? People Management has the answers here.

Back to Top

Re-thinking DEI: From Consensus to Candour

📅8th September 2026 
⏰11am
📍Live online | Free to attend

REGISTER HERE.

What does effective DEI look like when organisations move beyond consensus and create cultures where people feel able to speak openly, challenge ideas and disagree constructively?

Most organisations have invested heavily in building inclusive workplaces, aiming to bring more perspectives into the room, improve decision-making and enable people to bring their full selves to work.

But a lot of HR leaders are quietly reporting something else.

Meetings where nobody says what they actually think. Colleagues who've concluded the safest contribution is no contribution at all. Capable people stepping around the conversations that matter most, in case they get the words wrong.

If any of that feels familiar, this session is for you.

The webinar will be presented by Barry Phillips, Chairman, Legal Island and  Simon Fanshawe OBE, writer, broadcaster, DEI consultant, and regular contributor to the Guardian and the Sunday Times newspapers.

Enjoy your weekend!

Legal Island

Back to Top