5 Quick Reads 🤓: 

1. Good Jobs Bill 2.0? Archibald's back with more proposed changes for employers to watch 👀
2. Stress claims: assume nothing, investigate everything 🚨
3. AI rollout or AI chaos? Why confused implementation is leaving staff baffled 😵
4. World Cup 2026 is coming. Is your workplace ready for football fever? 🏆
5. Dear HR Agony Aunt: Why is HR always the last to know? 🤦‍♀️

In other news.........if “whistleblowing training” sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry, think again. This Skill Builder with Michelle McGinley, is packed with real life HR dilemmas, practical tips and expert insights that'll keep you on your toes 🚨

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Skill Builder for HR: Managing Protected Disclosures
4. Good Jobs
5. Religious Autonomy and Genuine Occupational Requirements
6. FIFA World Cup 2026: Employers’ guide to workplace implications
7. Unions to ballot teachers on strike action after workload talks fail
8. Treasury dubs size of Northern Ireland’s public sector ‘a significant budgetary challenge’
9. Just in Case You Missed It...
10. HR Developments
11. Health & Safety Developments
12. Employment News in the Media
13. GB Developments
14. Friends of Legal Island
15. Free Webinars This Month

Condon v Sweetez Ltd [2026] NIIT 21493/25 

Summary Description: Claimant found to have been unfairly dismissed as the respondent did not engage in the proceedings and could not show that there was a fair reason for dismissal.

Claimant: Condon

Respondent: Sweetez Ltd

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

The Tribunal had to find in favour of the claimant here as the burden of proof of proving a dismissal is fair is on the respondent.  Therefore, not engaging with the proceedings means that this burden can never be discharged. This case not only demonstrates the importance of having procedures which are in line with the statutory procedure but also ensuring that there is some engagement with the process to either defend the case, settled the case or at least mitigate the award that may be made against the employer.

Read the Review in full: Condon v Sweetez Ltd [2026]

Ndow v University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust [2026] EAT 64 

Summary Description: EAT case dismissed on the basis that the appeal court could not examine new arguments which were not made to the first instance Tribunal.

Claimant: Ndow

Respondent: University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Practical Guidance for Employers: This demonstrates a very important feature relating to appeals generally. The appeals process is not an option for appellants to re-open cases and making new arguments which were not originally made. The claimant, at the first instance, had the opportunity to raise the arguments seeking to have an extension of time but did not so. There is no merit in allowing these new arguments which would be extremely problematic for the appellate court as well as for respondents to those appeals.        

Read the Review in full: Ndow v University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust [2026]

Back to Top

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.

Back to Top

We need to have ability to slow AI down, says Anthropic co-founder

Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark has called for the ability to slow progression of artificial intelligence (AI), warning the technology is nearing a point where it could develop without human input. "You want the option to be able to take your foot off the gas and put your foot on the brake", Clark told BBC Newsnight. "Right now, it's like the AI industry has a gas pedal, but it doesn't have a brake pedal." More from the BBC.

Is AI applying for top government jobs?

The Review Body on Senior Salaries (SSRB) has published its 2026 report, noting a 35% rise in applications for senior civil service roles in 2024/25, with the Civil Service Commission overseeing recruitment. However, the SSRB cautions that this surge does not reflect a stronger talent pool, suggesting instead that it is partly driven by an increase in low-quality, AI-generated submissions and “quick applications” from candidates lacking the required experience for senior civil service positions. More from Public Technology.

How 'confused' AI rollout hurts firms and baffles staff

The pre-existing culture in an organisation can make or break an AI rollout, not least because AI tends to accelerate things for better or worse, says Caroline Rawlinson, CEO of Culture Amp, which tracks employee experiences and feedback. The firm says that while nine out of 10 HR professionals expect to increase their use of generative AI, a third said "say no one currently owns AI strategy at their companies". BBC has 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.

Back to Top

Skill Builder for HR: Managing Protected Disclosures

📅NEW DATE: Wednesday, 8th July 2026 

🕒 12:30 - 14:00 (1 hour 30 mins)

📍 Live online 

Think whistleblowing is dry? Think again. This session tackles the real-world challenges HR professionals face when managing protected disclosures. It covers keeping information confidential and balancing competing interests, as well as navigating sensitive interpersonal dynamics and running investigations smoothly. Led by employment law experts Michelle McGinley, Director of Legal & Policy and Karen Moore, Senior Employment Lawyer & Head of Training of Employers Federation, this session goes beyond theory, sharing practical insights that you can apply immediately.

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. 

Back to Top

Jobs row 'could block neonatal care rights'

The economy minister has warned that new rights for parents of sick or premature babies will be delayed if her Good Jobs Bill is blocked. Sinn Féin's Caoimhe Archibald is attempting to increase pressure on the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to agree to her major package of workers' rights reforms. More from the BBC.

Archibald proposes further progressive addition to landmark Good Jobs Bill

Economy Minister, Caoimhe Archibald has announced that following ongoing engagement with businesses and trade unions across the north, she will update the proposals relating to trade union access in the Good Jobs Bill. Where the proposal was originally to introduce a new right for trade unions to request access to all workplaces, an exemption will now be included for micro businesses with fewer than 10 employees.

However...

Northern Ireland business groups welcome movement on Good Jobs Bill but warn significant issues remain

Business organisations across Northern Ireland have welcomed changes to the proposed Good Jobs Bill, following an announcement by Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald to adjust plans on trade union access to workplaces, but have warned that major concerns remain about the wider legislation. The Minister confirmed that, following ongoing engagement with businesses and trade unions, an exemption will now be introduced for micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees. The original proposal would have created a new statutory right for trade unions to request access to all workplaces. You can read more from the News Letter.

Back to Top

Religious Autonomy and Genuine Occupational Requirements: The CJEU’s Judgment in Katholische Schwangerschaftsberatung v JB

This case considered the question of how to balance the right of religious organisations to religious autonomy with the right of their staff  to equality and non-discrimination on grounds of religion.  The question of the extent to which religious organisations have autonomy over whom to employ, in particular where this limits the equality rights of staff, is deeply contested internationally, with some jurisdictions such as the US prioritising the autonomy of religious organisations, and others such as the CJEU, ECtHR  and the IACtHR preferring a more balanced approach. More from Oxford Human Rights Hub.

Back to Top

The 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament kicks off in eight weeks with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in Mexico City. Hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada it will be the biggest ever World Cup as 48 nations compete – up from 32 – between 11 June and 19 July 2026. Employers should plan ahead to make the most of the impact that this large sporting event can have on staff morale, while also planning ahead to minimise disruption. Personnel Today has more on this.

Back to Top

Schools here are braced for more disruption as teaching unions are set to ballot members on further industrial action after a failure to agree a way forward over workload issues. Northern Ireland’s largest union, the NASUWT, has served formal notice of an official industrial action ballot across all state-funded schools which, it says, “follows the Department of Education’s sustained failure to deliver a credible implementation plan for the 27 recommendations of the Independent Review of Workload”. More from the Belfast Telegraph. 

Back to Top

HM Treasury has identified the size of Northern Ireland’s public sector as a contributory factor to the devolved government’s ongoing budget issues.  A policy paper published this week suggests Northern Ireland’s public sector is around 50% bigger than that of the rest of the UK as a proportion of the local population.  The Treasury’s Open Book Review of Northern Ireland Executive Budget says that reducing headcount and not implementing pay awards mirroring those offered to public-sector staff in England or Wales could save more than £1bn a year.  You can read more from Civil Service World.

Back to Top

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.....

A whistleblower wants the investigation report: How do I Handle it?

Emma Doherty, Associate Director in the Employment Team at Tughans LLP this month answers the problem:

"An employee raised a "protected disclosure" about health and safety issues at the site. The issues were investigated and none were credible. They have raised a grievance which demands a copy of our investigation report, which contains evidence from various employees. How do I handle it?"

Read her guidance here. 

HR Interview Series: Laura McKee

We interview leading figures in HR to find out about their role, the challenges they face, what winds them up in business and how they wind down. This time, we're putting one of our own in the hot seat as we speak to Laura McKee, Knowledge Partner at Legal Island, about her career journey, professional challenges and what keeps her motivated both inside and outside of work. Read here.

Seamus Says 

'Seamus Says' articles boils down the best bits from Legal Island's Employment Law at 11 webinar into straight talking takeaways you can actually use. Seamus answers the question: If someone reports a Christmas party incident but the victim doesn't want to complain formally, how strong is the case for doing nothing?

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

Crystel Robbin Rynne, CEO HRLocker addresses the question in her latest in the Agony Aunt Series: "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?"

Back to Top

Two in five UK employers have cut workplace benefits

Two in five (43%) UK employers have admitted to scaling back their workplace benefits over the past 12 months, according to new research from Robert Walters. Its annual Employee benefits guide also revealed that a quarter (26%) of respondents are planning further cuts throughout the year, and 33% have yet to rule them out. More from Employee Benefits.

How HR leaders can de-escalate conflict before it explodes

Right now, many people are carrying fear, frustration and anger that has very little to do with the conversation happening in front of them. In this environment, leaders need to get better at recognising escalation early, responding calmly and not adding more fire to an already heated interaction. More from HR Director.

Back to Top

Occupational stress claims: First breakdowns and Foxton-Duffy v Jockey Club Racecourses Ltd (2026)

Two recent decisions from the county courts which involved first breakdowns in overwork cases, Gabor Meggyes v Bentley Motors (2025) and Foxton-Duffy v Jockey Club Racecourses Ltd (2026), came to different conclusions and demonstrate just how fact sensitive stress claims are and how much they require rigorous investigation and careful assessment. DAC Beachcroft provides guidance.

Back to Top

Two PSNI officers dismissed over 'abhorrent' behaviour. Jon Boutcher said within the PSNI they are “demonstrating very clearly a no tolerance approach to any misconduct or inappropriate behaviours”. More.

City & Guilds is facing potential legal and industrial action over its ‘dishonest’ redundancy plans, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said. The training and qualifications body, which was bought by Greek-owned PeopleCert last autumn, is advertising for jobs in Greece and the UK while being in the middle of redundancy consultations. More here from FE News.

Pink News reports a Christian man who sued the government after claiming he had a phobia of Pride flags has lost his religious discrimination case. Mark Jennings accepted a job as a work coach with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in June 2024, but began making “unreasonable demands” when receiving the offer over the phone. These included not being subjected to Pride imagery or hearing colleagues “using different pronouns” at work. When the DWP refused, he turned the job down, then tried to sue.

The BBC reports a former BBC journalist who was sacked over posts he made on social media has lost his claim for unfair dismissal. Sean McGinty, who worked for BBC Radio Lancashire was dismissed because his activity on X was deemed to have breached the corporation's guidelines. He said his actions were due to ADHD and severe anxiety, and brought a case against the BBC claiming unfair dismissal, as well as two disability discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010. More here. 

A planning enforcement officer who was paid less than her male predecessor despite doing the same job has partly won an equal pay claim after a tribunal found that Kent County Council breached a sex equality clause. J Hamid, who was awarded more than £37,000, raised concerns after being placed on a lower pay band than her predecessor, Mr G, despite taking on the same responsibilities within the council’s two-person planning enforcement team. An Ashford tribunal found the council failed to recognise the value of Hamid's “more modern way of working” and her key strengths, such as emotional intelligence, people skills and team building, compared to the traditional “police-style” skills of her male comparator. People Management has more on this.  

Back to Top

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

The new world of unfair dismissal: how can employers prepare?

The following key changes are expected to take effect from 1 January 2027 under the Employment Rights Act 2025 include:

• The qualifying period (i.e. the length of time someone must have been employed before they can bring an ordinary unfair dismissal claim) will reduce from two years to six months.
• Employers will need to give written reasons for dismissal to employees after six months of employment, rather than two years.
• The cap which currently limits the unfair dismissal compensatory award will be removed.

Make UK has more on the changes and how employers can prepare.

TUC: Lack of flexible working is “driving parents out of jobs”

The TUC warned a lack of flexible working is “driving parents out of jobs” as a new poll in GB reveals a third (33 per cent) of parents with children under the age of 7 have left a job due to lack of flexible working.  Almost a third (30 per cent) of parents of children under 7 said they had experienced informal flexible working requests being rejected in part or in full. You can read the full press release here.

Employers face HR risks as rights act reforms bite

Changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025 are exposing weaknesses in employers' HR practices, according to Cintra, which says it is already seeing a rise in cases linked to the reforms. The main pressure points include probation periods that run beyond six months, informal management practices and policies that have not been updated for years. These issues are creating legal risk earlier in the employment relationship as unfair dismissal protection moves to six months and scrutiny of harassment prevention becomes more exacting. More from Channel Life.

Make Work Pay: ending one-sided flexibility – reforms of zero hours and similar contracts

The government is seeking views on reforms relating to zero hours and similar contracts, to implement measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025 to end one-sided flexibility. The consultation closes at 11:59am on 25 August 2026 and you can access it here. 

Back to Top

Arthur Cox marks 30 years in Northern Ireland

Arthur Cox has marked its 30th anniversary in Belfast, celebrating three decades at the forefront of the legal and business landscape in Northern Ireland. Throughout that time, the firm has become deeply embedded in the economic story of Northern Ireland, playing a central role in many of the developments that have shaped the region’s modern economy. Arthur Cox's Employment Law team regularly contribute to Legal Island's Employment Law Hub. Read their suite of articles here.

Back to Top

Employment Law at 11 - Real Cases, Real Lessons

TODAY at 11 a.m. - you can register here

Join Seamus McGranaghan, O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors & Christine Quinn, Legal Island 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 about 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.

Send your questions in advance to gosia@legal-island.com - Anonymity assured.

Enjoy your weekend!

Legal Island

Back to Top