The Need-to-Know 5:

1. Minister faces backlash over employment legislation consultation failures 🔥
2. New UK data protection right to complain: what do businesses need to know? 📋
3. Programme for Government Annual Report 2025-2026: the key takeaways 📊
4. Can we synergise on a unified consensus on this? Apparently employees who embrace ‘corporate b*llsh!t’ make worse decisions...... 💩
5. Harassment and bullying at work: what does Northern Ireland law say? ⚖️

In other news................Employment Law at 11: Real Cases, Real Lessons. Join Seamus & Christine as they talk NI caselaw - shoplifters, swearing and ChatGPT! FREE webinar on Friday 5th June. REGISTER HERE.

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Good Jobs
4. The new UK data protection right to complain: What is it and how must businesses comply?
5. Youth Employment
6. Programme for Government Annual Report 2025 – 2026
7. Cost of temporary nursing staff in NI triples in six years
8. Just in Case You Missed It...
9. HR Developments
10. Employment News in the Media
11. GB Developments
12. Free Webinars This Month

Judge v Chief Constable of the PSNI [2026] NIIT 70575/22

Summary Description: 

Disability discrimination claim dismissed as it was found that the respondent did not have knowledge of a mental health impairment.  Stress at work on GP notes was not sufficient to demonstrate a disability in line with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Claimant: 

Louise Judge

Respondent: 

Chief Constable of the PSNI

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case demonstrates the importance of knowledge in relation to a disability when it comes to a disability discrimination claim - especially those focusing on reasonable adjustments.  The Tribunal held here that it was not sufficient that the GP notes stated stress at work and that did not mean the respondent had knowledge of a mental health impairment amounting to a disability nor did it mean that such a knowledge should be imputed onto the respondent.

Read the Review in full: Judge v Chief Constable of the PSNI [2026]

Halley v Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry [2026] EAT 56

Summary Description: 

Counsel to an inquiry did not have worker status or status as a public office holder and a claim could not be taken to the Tribunal.

Claimant: 

John Halley

Respondent: 

Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (Lady Smith)

Practical Guidance for Employers:

A case for the lawyers out there and whether there is a stage in which employment status arises when an individual is briefed to a particular role.  This was as counsel to an inquiry and it was clearly held by the EAT that it is the same as being instructed in a matter and that it does not confer worker status or status as a public office holder.  The claimant had the discretion and judgment in terms of whether to accept it and that was done under a self-employed basis.

Read the Review in full: Halley v Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry [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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Junior solicitor used AI to draft misleading letters to court

Legal Futures reports a junior solicitor who used artificial intelligence (AI) to draft two misleading emails to the High Court “seems to have almost entirely outsourced the thinking process to the program”, the judge has said. Read more.

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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Unions: There is time for our elected MLAs to progress the Good Jobs Bill if the will is there

The Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions repeats its call for the NI Executive to bring forward the Good Jobs Employment Bill before MLAs leave Stormont for the summer recess. We reiterate that there is time for our elected MLAs to debate and scrutinise the legislation in the Assembly if the will is there. More form the Irish Trade Unions Northern Ireland Committee.

Minister under fire for lack of consultation on employment legislation

An FSB survey has found that almost two thirds of small businesses were unaware the consultation was taking place on Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald’s controversial Good Jobs Bill. More than 20 business organisations wrote to the Minister in April urging her and Executive colleagues not to rush through sweeping and complex employment rights legislation in the limited time remaining in the current Assembly mandate, amid mounting pressures facing businesses across Northern Ireland. Business Eye has more.

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From 19 June 2026, individuals in the UK will have the right to lodge a complaint directly with the data controller responsible for processing their personal data. This article from Prigther explains what businesses need to do. Catch up here.

Northern Ireland Data Protection Update 2026

Stay ahead of data protection challenges in Northern Ireland with expert-led insights tailored for HR professionals and employers. This annual update covers key developments, practical solutions, and real-world examples to help you mitigate risks and stay compliant.

📅Thursday, 3rd June 2026 
⏰9.15am - 1.30pm
📍 Live online 

BOOK NOW

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‘Hundreds of job applications’: young people on their struggle to find work

Job seekers say the lack of opportunities has affected their mental health and left them fearing for the future. The Guardian has more.

Alan Milburn: the labour market is deserting young people

Alan Milburn’s interim report, Young People and Work, intended as a wake-up call for the nation before recommendations are made this autumn, makes for sobering reading. The report tells us that the number of Neets has increased by 89,000 compared with the same period last year. The figure is the highest it has been in 12 years – with the group representing 13.5% of all young people in the UK. The percentage is higher for young men (14.4%) than young women (12.5%) – but both have increased. More.

And for the TUCs take:

Milburn Review: NEET crisis has been “years in the making”- action must start now to turn it around. Read what the TUC has to say.

Employers enhancing skills and good jobs through Higher Level Apprenticeships 

HLAs provide an opportunity for individuals to undertake high quality work-based training while gaining a recognised higher education qualification.

The research shows that:

• 1,030 businesses here were employing higher level apprentices in 2025.
  
• Employer participation shows a balanced spread by business size: 30% micro, 36% small and 34% with 50+ employees.
  
• Belfast recorded the highest concentration of businesses employing Higher Level Apprentices with 17 per thousand businesses; closely followed by Mid Ulster, where 16 per thousand businesses employed an HLA and Newry, Mourne and Down recorded 15 businesses per thousand businesses.
  

More here.

Next boss warns of 'dramatic' fall in entry-level jobs

Lord Wolfson told the BBC that just two years ago, Next typically received 10 applicants for every job in its shops, but that number had since risen to 19. "That doubling of applicants for shop jobs is indicative of just how big the crisis is in youth unemployment at the moment," he said. More from the BBC.

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This Programme for Government Annual Report provides a clear and accessible overview of that progress. It highlights the actions taken across all nine Programme for Government priorities, the impact of those actions on people and places, and the foundations being built for long‑term change. Find it here.

The headlines are:

• Significant progress on health waiting lists (Pages 10-11)
• Childcare costs partially eased, but systemic reform still in progress (Pages 8-9)
• SEN reform underway but remains a significant ongoing challenge (Pages 14-15)
• Housing supply improving but demand pressures and infrastructure constraints remain (Pages 16-17)
• Wellbeing Framework shows more indicators worsening than improving (Page 37)
• Financial constraints are a recurring and serious theme (Pages 4, 22)
• Lough Neagh: partial progress but the underlying pollution problem is complex and long-term (Pages 20-21)
• Ending Violence Against Women & Girls: awareness-raising is active but legal protections are still in development (Pages 12-13)
• Office of AI and Digital established, signalling ambition on public sector modernisation (Page 23)

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The BBC reports a high dependency on agency nurses has led to Northern Ireland health trusts spending more than £160m on private staff in a single year. The amount has tripled in six years and is on top of the £1.1bn cost for permanent NHS nursing and midwifery staff, according to a report from the auditor general. 
 
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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.....

Seamus Says..........

'Seamus Says..' boils down the best bits from Legal Island's live 'Employment Law at 11' webinar into straight-talking takeaways you can actually use. Here's the latest question:

What does the law in Northern Ireland say about what an employer’s responsibility when harassment or bullying occurs? 

Dear HR Agony Aunt: Why is HR always brought in at the last minute?

"I am the most senior HR person in our business but I am consistently brought into key decisions too late to make a real difference. I can see people risks forming well in advance but by the time I am consulted, the direction is already set. How do I change this dynamic without going over anyone's head?" Read more from Crystel Robbin Rynne, CEO, HRLocker.

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Employees who embrace ‘corporate b*llsh!t’ make worse decisions

People who readily adopt vague corporate-speak such as ‘synergistic leadership’ and ‘growth-hacking paradigms’ are significantly worse at making effective workplace decisions. Research from Cornell University found that employees who are impressed by impressive-sounding sentences like, “We will actualise a renewed level of cradle-to-grave credentialing”, rated their managers as more charismatic, even “visionary”. Personnel Today has the full story.

Empathy fatigue, HR overreach and the risk to fair decision making

Empathy fatigue is quietly reshaping HR judgement. As emotional load narrows thinking, advice can become more directive, blurring the line between supporting managers and influencing outcomes. Without reflection and supervision, this drift risks fairness, independence and organisational integrity. More from the HR Director.

A quarter of employees believe workplace recognition is driven by favouritism

New research from Perkbox has revealed significant distrust around workplace reward and recognition, with nearly a quarter (23%) of employees believing rewards are based on personal relationships rather than contribution. The Science of Reward Report shows widespread confusion and inconsistency around how reward decisions are made, fuelling perceptions of unfairness and disengagement across organisations. More from HR Director. 

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The Independent reports a Metropolitan Police officer moved three hours away from his base, then sued the force for discrimination after being denied the right to work from home. PC Paul Heard relocated from South London to Suffolk, leading to a six-hour daily round trip commute to his Met Police base in Croydon. He complained to an employment tribunal that the journey was "exhausting", claiming that it was "fatiguing" and impacted his physical and mental health. More here.

David Lammy turned down an independent recommendation for a higher judicial pay increase, instead approving a 3.5 per cent rise amid government efforts to tackle recruitment challenges for senior judges. The Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) report, published last week, recommended a 3.8 per cent pay increase across the judiciary, estimated to cost taxpayers around £35m. You can read more from City AM.

A solicitor who bullied and harassed five junior female colleagues, routinely demanding they bring ‘treats’ back from holiday, telling one her eczema looked “disgusting” and taking an intern back to his flat after the office Christmas party, has been given a suspended suspension and banned from conducting recruitment interviews. You can read more here from Legal Cheek. 

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

TUC: Charities, unions and academics tell government to “stick to its guns” on secure contracts for workers in GB

A coalition of the Trades Union Congress, 38 Degrees, Child Poverty Action Group, Women’s Budget Group, Young Women’s Trust, Fawcett Society, Timewise and Work Foundation has told the government that it must stand firm on its manifesto commitment to ban zero hours contracts and ensure workers have a right to guaranteed hours. The message comes after some business groups called on government to row back on delivering these new rights. You can read the full press release here.

GB Equality Act 2010: Draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, 2026

The Westminster Minister for Women and Equalities laid updated statutory guidance before Parliament. The guidance tells organisations how they should approach trans inclusion. The statutory guidance only applies to services and associations – not employers – but it is likely to be influential beyond this. More from the Good Law Project.

The Updated GB Code can be found here.

However in NI…

NI LGBT charity draws on EU law to protect trans people despite new EHRC guidance

Great Britain's Equality and Human Rights Commission publishes updated Code of Practice on trans rights, prompting LGBT charity The Rainbow Project to urge caution in Northern Ireland, reports the Mirror.

Employers could face two-week deadline on disabled workers’ adjustment requests

Work and Pensions Committee report says workplace remains a ‘hostile environment’ for people with disabilities and calls for stronger legal protections. More from People Management.

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

Sponsored by HRLocker 

📅3rd June 2026 
⏰10am - 11am
📍Live online | Free to attend

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 weekend!

Legal Island

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