This Week's Big 5:

1. The shocking number of employees turning up to work drunk 🍺
2. Nine in 10 HR leaders are making redundancies right now 📉
3. Dan Walker's accuser settles claims against former co-host 🎙️
4. AI cheating in hiring - why the panic might be overblown 🤖
5. Employee engagement: why boards need to lead from the top 🏛️

In other news................Most people witness something wrong at work. Few know how to act. Join Legal Island’s Christine Quinn and Seamus McGranagahan of O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors for the next Employment Law at 11 as they explore what active bystanding really looks like, what the law says, and how the right training turns good intentions into confident action.

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Employee Engagement
4. DEI
5. Pensions
6. Right to work: Home Office consults on revised Code of Practice
7. Astonishing percentage of employees admit to working under the influence alcohol
8. Just in Case You Missed It...
9. HR Developments
10. Employment News in the Media
11. GB Developments
12. Health & Safety
13. Free Webinars This Month

Whitaker v White Rose Academies Trust & Anor [2026] EAT 43

Summary Description: 

Claimant was not an employee or worker of the second respondent despite being given the title of its Deputy CEO for a portion of time.

Claimant: 

A Whitaker

Respondent: 

White Rose Academies Trust
Luminate Education Group

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case is an interesting one where individuals are working in larger structures with multiple different companies.  The claimant did straddle the two respondents but it was done through the first respondent and the engagement with the second was primarily seen for the benefit of the first respondent.  The contractual position was clear when the first respondent was able to stop that engagement with the second when they did not feel it was beneficial to their interests.  This led to the decision that the claimant was only an employee of the first respondent and not the second.

Read the Review in full: Whitaker v White Rose Academies Trust & Anor [2026]

Smith v HealthRota Ltd [2026] Case No: 3200153/2024

Summary Description: 

As part of a remedy hearing the Tribunal provided a recommendation that there be diversity training undertaken by an independent individual within the respondent within 6 months of the decision.

Claimant: 

D Smith

Respondent: 

HealthRota Ltd

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This remedy hearing provides a useful view of how the Tribunal may look beyond the monetary compensation and look to trying to improve industrial relations.  This was clear with the recommendation of having diversity training within six months of the judgment.  This is something to consider for employers should they face an issue relating to discrimination and the type of remedy and recommendation that may be given by the Tribunal.

Read the Review in full: Smith v HealthRota Ltd [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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Fears of AI cheating in hiring are ‘overblown’

New research has revealed that while 62% believe candidates are using AI to cheat, only 26% say they have seen evidence of candidates manipulating assessment results. You can read more on this from HR Director.

Met investigates hundreds of officers after using Palantir AI tool

The Metropolitan police have launched investigations into hundreds of officers after using an AI tool built by the controversial tech company Palantir to root out rogue cops. The software was deployed by the Met over the course of a week, surveilling staff members using data the force has ready access to, unearthing rule-breaking ranging from work-from-home violations to suspected corruption and even criminal allegations such as rape. The Guardian has more on this story. 

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

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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Boards must lead cultural renewal 

Organisations have spent years and significant resources on culture programmes, and many haven’t worked. So, why have so many culture programmes failed to deliver, and what can boards do to drive a cultural renewal? HR Director has more.

Skill Builder for HR: Employee Engagement in Modern Workplaces

📅Thursday, 21st May

🕒 12:30 - 14:00 (1 hour 30 mins)

📍 Live online 

Struggling with disengaged teams, fractured communication and constant digital overload? This short, high-impact session gives HR professionals practical strategies to rebuild employee engagement, improve focus and strengthen retention. Join Anne Phillipson, Managing Director, Phillipson Performance Partners on 21st May and turn frustration into meaningful progress. BOOK today. 

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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Every Brain Belongs: Neurodiversity, Your Rights, and the Role of Your Union

In my work educating workers across Ireland, I hear the same stories time and again. The worker who has been quietly struggling for years: misreading a complex roster, finding the open-plan office unbearable, or freezing in an interview despite being brilliant at the job. Only now putting a name to it. Or perhaps not putting a name to it at all, and simply soldiering on. SIPTU has more on this story.

Usdaw calls for disabled workers to be properly supported in the workplace

Retail trade union Usdaw supported a call for occupational health adjustments to be implemented by employers to help ensure that disabled workers are respected, contributions valued and treated fairly. You can read the full press release here.

HSBC UK will offer British Sign Language training for beginners to its employees

HSBC UK has said it will offer British Sign Language (BSL) training for beginners to all its 23,000 employees, as part of its work to foster an “inclusive environment”. The bank said the move will help to support customers and staff whose first or preferred language is BSL. More here from the Standard.

Crisis of confidence on neurodiversity adjustments as tribunals hit five-year high

Only 6.5% of HR, L&D and compliance professionals say managers in their organisation are very confident discussing neurodiversity adjustments. More than a third (35%) say managers lack confidence altogether. With tribunal claims up 95% in five years and the Employment Rights Act now in force, new research from VinciWorks reveals the scale of the readiness gap and why organisations can no longer afford to treat neurodiversity training as a one-off exercise. You can read more from HR Director.

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Pension Scheme Bill to receive Royal Assent

The House of Commons and House of Lords reached agreement on the Bill after deadlock over one of the clauses, which would have granted the government the power to compel private pension schemes to invest a minimum proportion of assets in certain areas. The government claims the new legislation will bring about major reform to how workers save for retirement, benefiting the average employee by up to £29,000. Personnel Today has more on this.

PAC and PACAC join forces to investigate civil service pensions crisis

Two of parliament's watchdog committees have announced they will jointly scrutinise the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme, which was plunged into a state of crisis following the transfer from MyCSP to Capita in December. The announcement comes amid a warning from recovery taskforce chief Angela MacDonald that members of the scheme are "increasingly frustrated" with communication issues around the efforts to get the scheme back on track. You can read more on this from Civil Service World.

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The Home Office has published a draft updated Code of Practice on “avoiding unlawful discrimination while preventing illegal working” and has launched a consultation, which closes on 29 April 2026, on the proposed changes to the Code. The updated Code could lead to an obligation on some employers to undertake wider right to work checks than is currently required. Megan Summers from Burges Salmon provides guidance.

You can fine more about the open consultation and draft code here.

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Working whilst hungover or under the influence of alcohol costs the UK economy between £1.2 billion and £1.4 billion a year, according to the Institute of Alcohol Studies. With a new report from Rehabs UK identifying May as a workplace ‘danger month’ for alcohol consumption, HR teams are warned to look out for a May bank holiday “presenteeism” surge. The report from Rehabs UK found:

• 42% have attended work while hungover or under the influence of alcohol.
• On average, these workers rated their performance at work to be 39% less effective than usual.
• Despite having the same number of bank holidays as April, May sees an extra 12 million servings of alcohol consumed compared to the monthly average, making it the third booziest holiday period of the year.

More from HR Director. 

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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.....

Fuel crisis travel support £100 monthly payment smart move or HR risk: How do I Handle it?

Our CEO has suggested offering employees an additional payment of £100 per month across May to July to help with rising travel costs during the current fuel crisis. How do I handle it? Emma Doherty of Tughans LLP has the answer.

‘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............

Is work-related stress sickness? Should you treat it differently from other types of sickness?  

Work-related stress counts as sickness absence, but employers should proceed cautiously, identify underlying causes, and engage with the employee to resolve workplace issues and support a return to work. More here. 

What happens to bank holidays whilst employees are on sick? Can you also include what happens with part-time staff who get the prorated bank holidays?

If an employee is genuinely sick on a bank holiday and reports it properly, the day isn’t counted as leave and can be taken later; part-time staff receive this on a pro-rata basis. Read here.

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Is it HR’s job to tell people how to behave?

The biggest mistake organisations make about behaviour is believing it can be managed through instruction. The reality is more social, less controllable – and far more consequential, argues Dr Leandro Herrero. Personnel Today has more.

Nine in 10 HR leaders currently pushing through redundancies

Nearly nine out of 10 UK HR leaders (87%) say their organisation has already conducted or is planning redundancies in the next 12 months. The snapshot of organisational appetite for restructuring, from talent firm LHH, also found that redundancies so far this year are being driven by a combination of skills displacement, AI, and shifting market demands, rather than one-off cost-cutting. Personnel Today has more on this story.

Four HR mistakes that could trigger sponsor licence trouble

The Home Office revoked 1,948 sponsor licences between July 2024 and June 2025 — more than double the 937 revoked the year before, and almost eight times the 247 recorded in 2022-23. This article from Personnel Today looks at how simple changes, such as job titles, can cause employers issues.

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Presenter Claudia–Liza Vanderpuije has withdrawn claims against her former Channel 5 News co-host Dan Walker after reaching a “mutual agreement” with the company and ITN. Vanderpuije, who co-hosted a show with Walker for a year between 2022 and 2023, had filed claims of unfair dismissal, discrimination and harassment against ITN and Channel 5's owner, Paramount, on grounds of race and sex, and breach of contract. ITV has more on this story.

A university cleaner has won more than £250,000 in an unfair dismissal case after she was sacked following a row with her boss over a 'banned' rice cooker. Peak Ong was accused of buying the appliance for a student after theirs was taken away due to a university-wide ban on rice cookers, an employment tribunal heard. However, after flaws were uncovered in the disciplinary process Ms Ong, who represented herself, has now won a whopping £264,442 in compensation for unfair dismissal and victimisation. More from the Daily Mail. 

Young employees working at McDonald's restaurants in Reading are being encouraged to come forward as part of a widening legal claim over allegations of unsafe and inappropriate working environments. The action is being led by UK law firm Leigh Day, following an investigation by BBC in 2023 that highlighted claims from crew members who said harassment and misconduct were occurring in some branches. The Reading Chronicle has more.

All Claire's standalone stores in the UK and Ireland have stopped trading after the accessories chain's financial woes saw it fall into administration twice in a year. Administrators Kroll said 154 stores have shut and more than 1,300 staff have been "notified of redundancy", though its 350 concessions will remain open. More from the BBC.

An employment tribunal has ruled that Avon and Somerset Police failed to make reasonable adjustments for a worker who received disability harassment.  Donna Vale was employed by the police force as a victim and witness care officer. She disclosed her ADHD at the start of her contract and requested noise-cancelling headphones when she started her employment and again after her four-week review, but these were not provided. More from Employee Benefits.

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

Industrial relations reforms: three changes UK employers should not overlook

New legislation (in GB) reduces the threshold for trade union recognition and introduces fresh obligations for employers, including those with no prior experience of recognition. The team at Osborne Clarke provides insight here.

Trade bodies urge ministers to rethink zero hours law change

Four major UK trade bodies have warned the government that proposed guaranteed hours measures risk undermining jobs, hiring and labour market flexibility, in a joint letter sent to the secretary of state for business and trade. The letter, dated 24 April 2026, is signed by the British Retail Consortium, Food and Drink Federation, Recruitment and Employment Confederation, and UKHospitality, organisations representing businesses that employ millions of workers across sectors heavily exposed to shifting consumer demand. You can read more on this from Personnel Today.

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Company fined for not having compulsory insurance for its workers

The HSE is reminding all company owners of their legal responsibility to hold Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI). The message comes following its prosecution of Mill House Metals, a scrap metal merchant based in Widnes, Cheshire. The company was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £2,000 towards costs after pleading guilty to breaching the Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance Act 1969. By law, employers are required to insure against liability for injury or disease to their employees arising out of their employment – it is compulsory insurance. Catch up. 

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Employment Law at 11: Harassment, Bullying and the Active Bystander

Most people witness something wrong at work. Few know how to act.

Join Legal Island’s Christine Quinn and Seamus McGranagahan of O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors as they explore what active bystanding really looks like, what the law says, and how the right training turns good intentions into confident action.

Our regular webinar will return in May. Got a topic you'd like Seamus and Christine to discuss? Drop us a line at gosia@legal-island.com or contact Seamus or Christine on LinkedIn.

📅 Friday 8th May 2026

🕒 11am to 11.45am

📍 Live online | Free to attend

REGISTER HERE

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

Miscarriage & Bereavement in the Workplace

NEW LEGISLATION ALERT: In our March instalment of Employment Law at 11 Seamus McGranaghan of O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors and Christine Quinn of Legal Island, gave us a guide to paid miscarriage leave in Northern Ireland, coming into effect in April 2026, and broader guidance on supporting employees through bereavement. They cover statutory entitlements, policy considerations, and best practices for compassionate workplace support, helping employers navigate these sensitive situations with confidence.

Enjoy your LONG weekend! And good luck and well done if you're running in Sunday's Marathon or Marathon Relay! Legal Island regulars Gareth Walls and Seamus McGranaghan are - so make sure to give them a cheer if you see them pounding the streets! 🏃

Legal Island

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