Your right to a written contract within 2 months of work!
One of the most frequent violations of statutory employment rights reported to CAB is the failure to receive a written statement of the main terms and conditions of employment. Some employees are provided with a very detailed contract of employment while others may not have anything in writing. A contract of employment is an agreement...
No guaranteed time off for study or training in Northern Ireland
Last year in England, Wales and Scotland certain employees were granted the right to ask for time off for study or training. This right is only for businesses with 250 employees or more. There are no current plans to extend this to Northern Ireland or allow the right to extend to smaller businesses. The current...
Give us a break – rights to holiday leave and pay explained
Rights to holiday leave and pay are one of the most common employment queries to CAB. A recent evidence briefing which was produced nationally by Citizens Advice showed that there are still many workers throughout the UK who are still not given this basic statutory right. ‘Give us a break’ welcomed Government plans to review...
Every employee entitled to basic rights!
By law, every employee is entitled to a certain set of basic rights and conditions at work. These basic rights are separate from any rights granted by an employment contract. Whilst an employment contract can add to the employee’s rights at work, it cannot remove any statutory rights and any clause which seeks to do...
Don’t let workplace bullies get the better of you!
Workplace bullying can have an adverse effect, both for those who suffer from it and for the employers who experience disrupted workplaces. It is difficult to assess the prevalence of bullying in the workplace, but the Labour Relations Agency deals with over 1,000 enquiries on workplace bullying each year, and it could be assumed that...
All work no rest? Ensure you get a break!
Rest breaks are an important area of employment rights; to ensure both the welfare of workers and the maintenance of workplace productivity. Following a 2006 case in the European Court of Justice, it has been established that employers must establish in an active fashion that workers can take advantage of their right to rest breaks....
Under 18? Know your working rights!
With many young people having part-time work over the summer holidays or during their studies, it is important to consider their rights. The legislation which establishes the law for children and young people in this area is the Employment of Children Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996. A child is defined as someone under the minimum school...
Graduates making a mark at First Derivatives
Newry financial markets firm First Derivatives said it is experiencing the highest employment growth since it was established 15 years ago. The company, which is listed on the AIM, said it wanted to hear from Northern Ireland’s “top graduates” as it continues to grow. Chief operating officer Adrian Toner said 114 out of 359 new...
Employment opportunities on offer to top achievers at Queen’s
High achievers at Queen’s University are to be offered support and job opportunities through a partnership with a UK pensions and benefits specialist. Xafinity Consultancy, which specialises in pensions and employee benefits, has announced a five-year partnership with Queen’s University. It hopes the initiative will encourage the development of high quality jobs in actuary and...
Interns in the workplace
In today’s competitive labour market, many young people seeking experience to boost their CVs (and others seeking a new career path) choose to undertake internships. These can be valuable for employers as well, who can improve recruitment processes by selecting from interns who have proven their talents. However, given recent debates in the media, it...