Top 5 for Busy People: 

1. CIPD: 58% of organisations say managing costs is highest priority 💸
2. Top tips for dealing with AI-Generated DSARs and complaints ✨
3. Single parents face 109% rise in flexible work refusals 👩‍🍼
4. What does the Dillon decision mean for NI employers? ⚖️
5. HR a 'drain on resources' 😮

In other news................Join us for expert insights at our annual Data Protection Update event on 4th of June, where we'll share tips for managing DSARs in light of the new right to complain. Find out more here.

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Skill Builder for HR: Managing Protected Disclosures
4. ‘Plenty of time’ in mandate to pass Good Jobs Bill says Caoimhe Archibald
5. Economic outlook
6. £7,500 each for PSNI staff affected by 2023 data breach - but is it just the start?
7. Diversity & inclusion
8. Just in Case You Missed It...
9. HR Developments
10. Employment News in the Media
11. GB Developments
12. Free Webinars This Month

Re Dillon’s Application for Judicial Review [2026] UKSC 15

Summary Description: 

The Windsor Framework could not be used in a case relating to legacy to disapply national law.  It would only be applicable where there is direct effect as set out in EU law.

Claimant: 

Dillon and Others

Respondent: 

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Practical Guidance for Employers:

It is appreciated that this is not an employment law case but the learnings from it could be impactful across various aspects of the law including employment law.  The decision limits the extent to which the Windsor Framework would act as the gateway to allow for the application of EU Law when there is a potential disparity between the EU rights and the domestic rights.  It makes clear that there must be this ‘anchor’ in EU Law which is clear and precise and that no further subsequent measure is required.    As a result, there remains that opportunity to argue EU provisions through the lens of the Windsor Framework albeit on that limited basis.

Read the Review in full: Re Dillon’s Application for Judicial Review [2026]

McElroy v Northern Health and Social Care Trust [2026] NIIT 53712/24

Summary Description: 

Claimant was not unfairly dismissed when the respondent followed the Managing Attendance policy when there was long-term absence.

Claimant: 

Christine McElroy

Respondent: 

Northern Health and Social Care Trust

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case demonstrates the perennial issue of managing long-term absence in the backdrop of what can be a complex factual situation.   The importance of having a Managing Attendance policy which is clear and is followed is demonstrated here.   Where such a policy is clearly known and is followed it allows an employer to demonstrate that clear evidence should they have to before the Tribunal.

Read the Review in full: McElroy v Northern Health and Social Care Trust [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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Navigating the Rise of AI-Generated DSARs and complaints – top tips

Whilst the use of AI can be a great enabler for data subjects, especially those who may otherwise struggle to exercise their rights or articulate complaints, it is increasingly placing a disproportionate burden on organisations.  This is especially the case where there is clearly no genuine concern about privacy and data protection rights, but where a DSAR or data protection complaint is leveraged as part of some other grievance or in an attempt to find a “smoking gun” in an employment dispute.  Janine Regan from Charles Russell Speechlys provides guidance.

And on the same topic.........

How AI is changing data subject access requests for SMEs

With the ease of producing letters with generative AI, SMEs might find themselves with more data subject access requests. Here's what to do.

New research reveals deep public scepticism over AI benefits for jobs

A major new study on the UK’s attitudes to AI and the future of work has found that seven in 10 UK citizens are worried about the economic impacts of AI, six in 10 think it will eliminate more jobs than it creates, and half think its impact will be worse than a normal recession. One in five even think it will create civil unrest. Personnel Today has more on this.

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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Skill Builder for HR: Managing Protected Disclosures

📅TBC 

🕒 12:30 - 14:00 (1 hour 30 mins)

📍 Live online 

Think whistleblowing is dry? Think again. This session tackles the real-world challenges HR professionals face when managing protected disclosures. It covers keeping information confidential and balancing competing interests, as well as navigating sensitive interpersonal dynamics and running investigations smoothly. Led by employment law experts Michelle McGinley, Director of Legal & Policy and Karen Moore, Senior Employment Lawyer & Head of Training of Employers Federation, this session goes beyond theory, sharing practical insights that you can apply immediately.

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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There is “plenty of time left” for Stormont to pass a Bill in the current mandate which would overhaul Northern Ireland’s employment laws, Caoimhe Archibald has insisted. The Economy Minister said she has received “no indication” that any other party will attempt to block her Good Jobs Bill reports Belfast Live. More here.

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NI Labour market statistics May 2026

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

• The number of employees receiving pay through HMRC PAYE in NI in May 2026 was 818,100, an increase of 1.0% over the year.
• NI employees had a median monthly pay of £2,467
• The latest NI seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (the proportion of economically active people aged 16 and over who were unemployed) for the period January-March 2026 was estimated from the Labour Force Survey at 2.1%.

You can find more here.

UK employers taking cautious approach to growth, CIPD’s labour outlook reveals

UK employers are prioritising cost management over growth as rising costs and global uncertainty continue to impact confidence. Cost management was the key priority for most (58 per cent) organisations, followed by improving productivity (44 per cent), then growing market share (35 per cent), the CIPD’s latest Labour Market Outlook found. Private sector employers were more concerned with managing costs, with 61 per cent of large businesses and 56 per cent of SMEs naming this as their key priority, compared to 53 per cent of public sector organisations. People Management has more on this.

The CIPD’s latest Labour Market Outlook report can be found here.

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Around £40 million in compensation has been paid to over 5,000 police officers and staff caught up in the 2023 PSNI data breach - but the cost to the public purse looks set to spiral as hundreds of claims still remain unresolved. Belfast firm Edwards Solicitors has confirmed that payments of £7,500 each were processed in recent days to clients who accepted a Universal Offer made by the PSNI. The Irish News has more.

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Huge recruitment boost to tackle backlog in vital disability work scheme

The DWP is ramping up efforts to tackle a significant backlog in the Access to Work scheme, with nearly 500 new staff set to accelerate processing times. With demand having more than doubled since 2018/19, leaving around 60,000 people awaiting decisions, this investment aims to help thousands more disabled employees access vital workplace support and stay in work.

Single parents face 109% rise in flexible work refusals

Parents with a disability have faced a 65% increase, the same jointly published data has highlighted, which was drawn from a poll of more than 5,000 women conducted by the charity Pregnant Then Screwed, and a weighted sample from a wider pool of people, analysed by representatives of the gender equity organisation Women in Data. The data shows that 27.5% of single parents and 23.3% of parents with a disability have been refused flexible working, nearly double the national rate (14.2%). HR Magazine has more.

Government-backed Pensions Commission calls for action on gender savings gap

According to the government-backed body, women approaching retirement have on average half the private pension savings of men, with a median pension wealth of £81,000 versus £156,000. The commission, which is expected to publish its interim report on the long-term future of the retirement system this week, said it would look at how the government could cut the gender pension gap as part of its work towards a final report with recommendations, expected next year. More on this from the Guardian.

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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.....

P is for Prevention: Stopping employee relations issues before they escalate

Keara Paterson from AAB People explains organisations that invest in early intervention, strong management capability, and healthy workplace cultures are far more likely to reduce conflict, retain talent, and build resilient workforces for the future. Read here.

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HR a 'drain on resources'

The chief executive of a US firm has defended his decision to eliminate the company’s HR department, arguing the team had been “creating problems that didn’t exist”. Ryan Breslow, co-founder and chief executive of Bolt, made the comments after the company cut around 30 per cent of its workforce in April – its fourth round of layoffs in four years. More from Irish Legal News.

Walkback on transparency is exposing a much wider tension

Working parents and caregivers are not a subsection of the workforce sitting somewhere adjacent to “core talent”. They are the workforce. They are our high performers, our future leaders, succession pipeline and the employees’ organisations are most anxious to attract and retain. Despite years of progress around conversations on flexibility, modern working life, and balance, many employers still communicate family support as though it is peripheral to career ambition rather than central to whether people can sustain one at all. More.

What is different about Gen Z leadership?

As Gen Z begins to take on management responsibility, workplaces have begun discussions about what good leadership looks like from this new cohort’s perspective. When asked what defines good leadership, Gen Z most often points to accountability (63%), followed by transparency (52%) and empathy (43%). These attributes aren’t new. What’s changed is the growing expectation that leaders demonstrate them consistently. You can read more from HR Director.

Why career cushioning is the new warning signal for HR

Across industries, a growing number of professionals are quietly building safety nets into their careers, upskilling, networking, freelancing or exploring side roles, not because they are disengaged, but because they are uncertain. This behaviour is increasingly being described as “career cushioning.” For HR leaders, it is an early signal of a workforce that is adapting faster than organisational structures. HRD Connect explains.

Does your organisation really listen when employees raise environmental ideas?

Employees are already raising sustainability concerns at work. Explore how environmental voice shapes organisational culture, ESG strategy, HR practice and workplace sustainability. HR Director has more.

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Concerns have been raised about the impact job losses at Ulster University would have on its Coleraine campus and the wider economy on the north coast. Last month Ulster University (UU) announced it is set to make up to 450 staff redundant as it needs to make savings of about £25m. More from the BBC.

The UK should introduce a maximum temperature for workplaces to protect people as heatwaves intensify due to climate change, the government's adviser has said. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) said that rolling out air conditioning and other cooling technologies in schools and hospitals should be one of the government's highest priorities, the BBC reports.

A Malaysian hotel worker, Erin Ong, who did not have legal permission to work in the UK, successfully won discrimination claims at a tribunal. Although her employment was considered illegal, the tribunal found she was made to work in conditions that worsened her asthma. Employed at a Cumbria hotel in 2023, she was promised a work permit but never received one, had no formal contract, and was not paid or given payslips. The tribunal also heard that the employer lacked basic employment procedures, including proper contracts and right-to-work checks. More from Personnel Today.

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

Toilets and changing rooms must be used on basis of biological sex, GB guidance confirms

Single-sex spaces - such as changing rooms and toilets - must be used on the basis of biological sex, new guidance from the equalities watchdog has confirmed. This means, for instance, that a trans woman - a biological male who identifies as a woman - should not use female toilets or changing rooms, according to the code of practice. The guidance, produced by the GB Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and now approved by ministers, makes it clear that transgender people should instead be offered a third or a gender-neutral space. The BBC has more.

NB: Due to NI's unique position following Brexit , thanks to the Windsor Framework, it is likely that NI will not follow suit. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will produce it’s on guidance on this issue and so NI may diverge from GB. We will keep you posted.

GB Employment tribunal time limits to double from October 2026 

The government has started the process of making secondary legislation to extend the time limit for a range of employment tribunal claims in GB from three months to six months with effect from 1 October 2026. The changes are likely to increase the number of claims brought and extend the period during which workplace disputes remain live for employers. More from Dentons.

GB Employment Tribunal backlog soars past 65,000 cases in justice crisis

A new report has warned that the Employment Tribunal system in England and Wales is facing a deepening crisis, with more than 65,000 open cases awaiting resolution by the end of 2025. The report, titled Employment Tribunals in Crisis: The Blind Spot in the ‘New Deal for Working People’, argues that growing delays and shortages of judicial resources are undermining workers’ ability to enforce employment rights despite recent legal reforms. More from Solicitor News.

However...

GB Employment lawyers draw up radical plans for cutting tribunal backlog

The representative body for employment lawyers has proposed a radical blueprint for dealing with a spiralling backlog of cases clogging up the tribunal system. The Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) called for compulsory mediation for all claims and splitting the tribunal into three ‘tracks’ based on the value of the dispute. More from the Law Gazette.

Multi-site employers: collective redundancy consultation is about to work very differently

The GB Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA) introduces a new organisation-wide trigger for collective redundancy consultation, meaning multi-site employers will no longer be able to avoid the regime just by keeping redundancy numbers below 20 at any one establishment. Mishcon de Reya provides guidance.

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Employee Data - What ROI & NI Employers Must Collect, Keep, and Delete

Sponsored by HRLocker 

📅Wednesday, 3rd June 2026 
⏰10am - 11am
📍Online

HR teams in NI and ROI are facing rapid changes around what employee information can be gathered, stored and kept. This free webinar is designed to guide you through what’s required and what to avoid.

Join Julie Holmes from Legal Island for a free webinar with guest Crystel Robbins Rynne, CEO of HRLocker, for a focused 45-minute session that walks you through the full employee journey, from job ads to post-employment. With Crystel’s background as both a CEO and a senior HR leader, you’ll get real-world insight into what you can collect, what you shouldn’t keep, and how long each record can stay on file.

Julie will host the session and support the Q&A, helping translate the guidance into what it means for your organisation in practice.

REGISTER HERE 

Employment Law at 11: Real Cases, Real Lessons

Sponsored by HRLocker 

Join Seamus & Christine as they talk NI caselaw - shoplifters, swearing and ChatGPT!

Breen v Tesco Stores & Doherty [2026] - A cashier with COPD is told to chase a shoplifter. Her manager then questions her Covid, asks if she's on PIP and suggests a wedding means she's fit for work.

Preshur v DHL Supply Chain [2026] - ADHD, multiple investigations, a secret job offer and an employee who swore at the Employment Judge. 

Hegarty v Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service [2026] - Two Tribunals, one month apart, completely opposite views on AI-drafted witness statements. This one is unresolved, and it's heading your way.

Got something you'd like Seamus and Christine to talk about? Drop us a line at gosia@legal-island.com or contact Seamus or Christine on LinkedIn.

📅 5 June 2026

🕒 11am to 11.45am

📍 Live online | Free to attend

REGISTER HERE

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

Enjoy your LONG weekend!

Legal Island

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