Interviewing a Potential Employee – How Do I Handle It?

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 20/02/2018 I am responsible for our recruitment and selection processes, and am concerned about the diversity of our workforce. I don’t want our company to miss out on the best talent because of unfair assumptions made by an interviewer. How do I handle it? The interview is the final hurdle in many recruitme...

Bullying and Harassment – How Do I Handle It?

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 17/01/2018 “I am an HR Manager and recently received a written complaint from an employee who told me that his colleague was calling him a “tinker” and a “gypo”. When he challenged his colleague and asked him to stop, he was told it was just a bit of “banter”. I do not know what the legal ramifications of t...

Employee Arrived at Work Under the Influence of Drugs

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 19/12/2017 “I am the Human Resources Manager in a manufacturing business and I have been asked by one of the Operation Managers to dismiss an employee as he alleges the employee arrived for work under the influence of drugs. The employee has been suspended: he is still under his probationary period. How sho...

Tips for a Successful Secondment

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 27/11/2017 “An individual who is with us on secondment from university has raised a grievance under our internal procedure after finding out he’s paid less than his permanent colleagues in the same role – how do I handle it?” First of all, you need to be very clear about the employment status of the secondee....

Dress Code in the Workplace

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 23/10/2017 I am the HR Manager of a chain of restaurants. I have recently received a complaint from a member of staff who claims that she was forced, by her Manager, to wear high heels as part of her uniform. She is a Waitress and there is no dress code in place in the business. How do I handle it? Dress code...

TUPE – What is employee liability information and must we provide it?

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 19/09/2017 I am the HR manager of a business which is being sold. A number of our employees are transferring under TUPE and I have been told to provide the buyer with employee liability information. How do I handle it? First of all, I am assuming that the transfer is happening in NI. This is important becaus...

Investigations into Alleged Misconduct: Police Involvement

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 15/08/2017 “I am a HR Manager of a business and believe one of our employees has stolen some money. When the matter came to light we reported the incident to the Police and the PSNI are currently investigating the matter. What can I do about this employee, considering the ongoing Police investigation?” You ...

Payment in Lieu of Untaken Holiday – Is it Legal?

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 18/07/2017 "We recently purchased a business via a share sale. The transaction was rushed and little due diligence was carried out before the sale took place. Now that I have reviewed personnel files, I have discovered that employees were being paid in lieu of their annual leave without the employees actually...

How to Respond to a Letter and Claim Form from the Industrial Tribunal

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 20/06/2017 "I am a HR Manager in a Company and have just been passed a letter and Claim Form from the Industrial Tribunal. The Claim Form is from an existing employee. Do I have to respond to this claim and if so, when?" You have 28 days in which to lodge a formal written Response to the employee’s claim. ...

How should we handle mental health issues in the workplace?

Posted in: How do I handle it NI on 16/05/2017 “I am an HR Manager and have been asked by my Managing Director to review our Sickness Absence policy and procedures, to ensure that they adequately cover mental health issues. In light of the current publicity around mental health issues, what else do I need to consider with respect to employees ...