Harassment on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 17/05/2011 I am a HR Manager and have become aware that staff are picking on a male colleague for being effeminate. This was witnessed by the employees’ line manager, who has spoken informally to the perpetrators, however, there has been no improvement. How do I handle it?"Sharon McArdle, Tughans Solicitors, ...

Unauthorised Absence From Work

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 27/04/2011 One of our employees recently took time off work and did not comply with our absence notification procedures. He did not ring in until almost the end of the shift. It was one of our busiest periods and this created organisational difficulties for us. We wish to treat the matter as taking unauthoris...

Personal Investigators and Employee Sickness

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 23/03/2011 One of my employees is on sickness absence and I suspect that he is not in fact unfit to come to work. Can we employ a private investigator and use the evidence at a disciplinary hearing? How do I handle it?Sharon McArdle writes:Workers have a legitimate expectation that they can keep their persona...

Dealing with Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 15/02/2011 I am an HR manager working in a construction company. We suspect that one of our employees, who works in a safety-critical role, has been using drugs. How should we deal with this?"Ciara Fulton writes:How you deal with this will largely depend on whether or not the Company has a Drug and Alcohol Po...

Legal Representation at Disciplinary Proceedings

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 18/01/2011 I am a HR manager working within a Department of the Civil Service. One of our junior employees has been accused of theft. He has been invited to a disciplinary hearing and wants to bring his solicitor. How do I handle it?Patricia Rooney writes:I suggest that you consider the employee’s contractual...