🚨 This Week’s Top 5 – ideal for readers in a rush:

1. 📱 WhatsApp Could Get You Sacked: Private messages aren’t always private - tread carefully!
2. ⚠️ TUC: Bullying & Discrimination "Shockingly High" - Disabled workers still facing unacceptable treatment
3. ⚖️ Tribunal Surge Incoming? Employment Rights Bill may trigger a sharp rise in GB cases
4. 😶‍🌫️ Heard of ‘Quiet Cracking’? The latest burnout red flag hiding in plain sight
5. 🤖 AI = 4x Productivity + 56% Pay Boost - PwC links tech use to serious workplace gains

And in other news......Don't miss Employment Law at 11 on THIS MORNING! Seamus McGranaghan of O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors and special guest Denise Collins of ForeBee Consulting, will explore how to handle redundancy lawfully and respectfully. Register HERE.

**If you have any difficulties accessing the article or resetting your password (if you haven’t already done so in 2025) please email hub@legal-island.com and we’ll be in touch with you as soon as possible.**

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Harassment
4. Your WhatsApp messages could get you sacked
5. Just in Case You Missed It...
6. HR Developments
7. Employment News in the Media
8. GB Development
9. Free Webinars This Month

Dobbie v Felton t/a Feltons Solicitors [2025]

Summary Description: 

Deduction from wages claim dismissed as the written agreement only allowed for 40% of the fees relating to the work done and billed by the claimant.

Claimant/Appellant: 

Alastair Dobbie

Respondent:

Paula Felton t/a Feltons Solicitors

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case demonstrates the importance of the agreements entered into by employers and employees. This was particularly specific in this case relating to the fees generated. The important aspect is that the oral variation could not be sustained where there was an entire agreement clause and that was to be followed where there was to be a deviation to the contract originally entered into.

Read the Review in full:
Dobbie v Felton t/a Feltons Solicitors [2025]

Deman v Queen’s University Belfast [2025]

Summary Description: 

Race and religious discrimination claim and appeal dismissed where it was found that there was no basis to the allegations. Claimant referred to the Attorney General for the possibility of a restriction of proceedings application.

Claimant/Appellant: 

Suresh Deman

Respondent:

Queen’s University Belfast

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case demonstrates the importance of having a good paper trail and application of policy when it comes to appointing staff.  It made it much easier for the respondent, in the face of wide-ranging allegations of race and religious discrimination, to defend their position. It was not only the respondent met with these allegations but was something that came about at each step of the process as the allegations were met by the legal representatives as well as members of the judiciary.

Read the Review in full:
Deman v Queen’s University Belfast [2025]

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These case reviews were written by Jason Elliott BL.  NI Tribunal decisions are available on the OITFET website:
http://www.employmenttribunalsni.co.uk/

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:
https://www.legal-island.com/employment-law-hub/case-law-search-page/

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ICO strategy to examine use of AI in recruitment tech

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is stepping up its supervision of AI and biometric technologies, launching a new strategy in Parliament on Thursday, which includes a review of the use of automatic decision-making in recruitment. Catch up:
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/ico-strategy-to-examine-use-of-ai-in-recruitment-tech/

Too much too soon: Are we ready for AI employees?

When you think of artificial intelligence (AI) you likely envision a collection of systems fine-tuned to collaborate with one another, whose role it is to take over many of the tasks you don’t have the time or the motivation to complete.  But, as we move further into the fourth industrial revolution, certainly in the workplace, AI is becoming less of a machine and more of an asset. But are we prepared for a workforce that counts AI as a co-worker? Read more:
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/ai-employees-skills-leadership-growth-development

AI linked to four-fold productivity increase and 56% wage premium – PwC

The rate of wage growth for workers skilled in using artificial intelligence more than doubled last year as demand for their expertise continued to rise. The latest PwC global AI jobs barometer shows that AI-skilled workers saw an average wage premium of 56% in 2024, up from 25% the previous year. Business Plus has more on this:
https://businessplus.ie/news/ai-wage-productivity-pwc/

"Is Your Next Coach Human… or Digital?"

In this episode of the AI for HR Weekly Podcast, Barry Phillips explores the evolving landscape of workplace coaching. As organisations increasingly integrate AI-driven tools into their operations, the line between human and digital coaching becomes blurred. Barry examines the implications of this shift, discussing the benefits and challenges of digital coaching solutions, and what this means for HR professionals striving to balance technological innovation with human-centric development.

"Is Your Next Coach Human… or Digital?"

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Hospitality workers experiencing 'horrendous harassment'

Hospitality workers have described harassment in the industry as "horrendous". It comes as a union has called for zero tolerance towards workplace harassment and free transport home for late shift workers. Unite the union has described sexual comments, unwanted advancements and degrading situations for staff, reports the BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx278204x8go

Number of disabled workers facing bullying, discrimination and harassment “shockingly high”, TUC warns

The number of disabled workers at the receiving end of bullying, discrimination and harassment is “shockingly high”, the TUC has warned.  The warning comes as the TUC publishes new polling which reveals the “pervasive” mistreatment of disabled workers across UK workplaces:

• Nearly four in ten (39%) of disabled workers have experienced bullying, discrimination and harassment at work.
• Of them, more than four in ten (42%) said the most recent incident had a negative impact on their mental health.
• Almost three in ten (28%) said that it made them want to leave their job.

The full press release is here:
https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/number-disabled-workers-facing-bullying-discrimination-and-harassment-shockingly-high-tuc
 
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WhatsApp might have started as a casual messaging app for friends, but it has now firmly become embedded in workplace communication – and increasingly in workplace conflicts, too. WhatsApp chats have also been used to corroborate or refute claims in employment tribunals. An employee might claim they were promised a pay rise or flexible hours via WhatsApp, for example. But on the other hand, employers have also used WhatsApp logs to prove misconduct. This evidence has included sharing confidential information. The Conversation has more on this story:
https://theconversation.com/your-whatsapp-messages-could-get-you-sacked-255073

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HR Interview Series: Katy Taggart

We interview some 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...
https://legal-island.com/employment-law-hub/hr-interview-series-katy-taggart

Immigration Compliance in 2025: rising risks and new responsibilities for employers

UK Visas and Immigration are taking a stricter approach to employer compliance with UK immigration laws in 2025. While no major policy reversals are expected, the government is reinforcing existing rules and stepping up enforcement to deter illegal practices and worker exploitation. For HR professionals, this means increased pressure to get the basics right and now’s the time to review your systems and ensure you're inspection-ready. More from Nick Bennett of Cleaver Fulton Rankin here: 
Immigration Compliance in 2025: rising risks and new responsibilities for employers

Rice v Wicked Vision Ltd [2024]

The EAT ruled that if the Claimant could bring an automatic unfair dismissal claim, then he could not also bring what was essentially the same claim as a detriment claim. Read the full review here:
Rice v Wicked Vision Ltd [2024]

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How to Work Healthier in 2025

As the lines between work and personal life continue to blur, companies are recognising the critical importance of employee wellbeing. Businesses that champion health and wellness are seeing improvements in employee satisfaction, innovation and overall performance, ultimately leading to a stronger bottom line. This is especially true of entrepreneurs. A recent EY survey revealed that they are approaching their business with a productive and intentional mindset, allowing them to be fully present when at work and heavily focused on innovation. More from HRD Connect:
https://www.hrdconnect.com/2025/06/04/how-to-work-healthier-in-2025/

Psychological safety at work is as important as a healthy P&L

A healthy bottom line doesn’t guarantee a healthy culture. In fact, record profits can often hide deep-rooted issues like burnout, fear of speaking up, and toxic team dynamics. If your people don’t feel safe to raise concerns, share ideas, or be themselves, long-term success is at risk. In this article, HR Director explore why psychological safety needs to be tracked and prioritised like your P&L, and how to build a workplace where openness, inclusion, and wellbeing are the norm:
https://www.thehrdirector.com/features/health-and-wellbeing/psychological-safety-work-important-healthy-pl/

'Quiet cracking' is the new workplace trend that could be a major sign of burnout

'Quiet quitting', whereby employees stop going above and beyond at work, made headlines and a couple of years ago, but employers are being warned to watch out for another trend. 'Quiet cracking' is when stress, burnout or workplace unhappiness begin to take their toll, causing employees to slowly disconnect from their job. “Quiet cracking isn’t laziness or a flaw in your work ethic. It’s often a sign that your mind and body are trying to cope with something unsustainable," said Guy Thornton, founder of PracticeAptitudeTests.com. More from Business Plus:
https://businessplus.ie/business-insights/quiet-cracking/

Policies, procedures and prevention are key to beating bribery

A project director at nuclear power plant Hinkley Point C was sacked after he was found to have accepted bribes in exchange for guaranteeing extra work to a particular engineering firm. Despite the evidence of gross misconduct, his employer was found at an employment tribunal to have unfairly dismissed him, as correct procedures weren’t followed. To avoid the same mistake, employers must understand how to prevent bribery and address cases compliantly if they do come to light. More from People Management:
https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1920156/policies-procedures-prevention-key-beating-bribery

The New Era of Business Leadership 

This guide from Paylocity explains why leadership development and succession planning are important, provides tips and tools for conducting a skills gap assessment, outlines key considerations for program design, and offers strategies to improve leadership effectiveness. You can download it here:
https://www.paylocity.com/resources/library/guides/the-new-era-of-business-leadership/

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The health minister is putting extra measures in place at Belfast Health Trust to hold it accountable for recent concerns in its cardiac surgery unit. Mike Nesbitt is enforcing the highest level of performance accountability after a leaked review laid bare bullying accusations within the regional cardiac surgery unit. More:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx271dz48g1o

A solicitor has been struck off for working three jobs at the same time and billing them for the same hours. Belinda Sarkodie - who claimed to work 100 hours per week - had juggled jobs for Property Legal (Manchester) Limited (PLS), Wright & Lord Solicitors Limited (W&L) and Muve (Trading name Connect 2 Law) simultaneously, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard. Law Gazette has more:
https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/ban-for-solicitor-who-worked-for-three-firms-at-once/5123454.article

Employees at a US-based insurance company owned by a Belfast man say they have not been paid for months as he is set to face a trial in a multi-million. Glengormley native Alan Redmond could be facing a 635-year prison sentence in Pennsylvania over the alleged nationwide fraud case. Irish news has more:
https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/employees-left-in-limbo-at-belfast-mans-us-insurance-business-ahead-of-multi-million-fraud-trial-BAQQOFU365HQNBPYP26OMJNJVM/

M&S is staging in-store recruitment open days to fill vacant staff positions while its online portal is unable to take applications. The retailer paused its online recruitment last month following a ransomware attack on its systems in April. M&S expects online disruption to last until early July while it reboots its programs. More from the Retail Gazette:
https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2025/06/ms-recruitment-days/

A 'brave' whistleblower who lost his job after accusing HS2 executives of fraud over the true cost of the controversial project has won more than £300,000 in compensation. Risk management expert Stephen Cresswell repeatedly raised concerns that the cost of the high speed rail line - which could end up landing the taxpayer with a bill of more than £80billion - was being 'actively misrepresented'. More from the Daily Mail:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14776953/Whistleblower-sacked-accusing-HS2-bosses-fraud-ignoring-warnings.html

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Amendment to GB Employment Rights Bill

An amendment to the Employment Rights Bill to ensure that work experience placements do not flout minimum wage laws has been put forward. The Bill is currently going through committee stage in the House of Lords, where each clause is debated before a final reading and ultimately Royal Assent. On behalf of Lord Holmes of Richmond, who originally proposed the amendment, Viscount Colville of Culross proposed that a clause be included in the Employment Rights Bill that prevents employers from providing unpaid work experience in excess of four weeks. Personnel Today has more:
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/employment-rights-bill-work-experience/

And more concern on the Employment Rights Bill…..

More than 100 companies in the facilities management sector have warned of ‘deep concerns’ and ‘unintended consequences’ of the Employment Rights Bill. In an open letter to Sir Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Jonathan Reynolds, executives from 128 facilities management firms including many SMEs, urged the government to consult more closely with employers, “especially the thousands of SMEs in the FM sector and other labour-intensive industries”, before finalising the bill. Read in full here:
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/facilities-management-deep-concerns-on-workers-rights/

Sharp rise in tribunal cases expected due to Employment Rights Bill

The Government’s October 2024 impact assessment of the Employment Rights Bill estimated a 15% rise in employment tribunal claims due to legislative changes, including “day one” unfair dismissal protection and rights to reasonable notice of shifts and guaranteed hours. However, recent amendments—such as extending the tribunal claim time limit to six months, granting the Fair Work Agency (FWA) new powers, and including agency workers in key rights—were not accounted for. This means the Bill’s true impact on tribunals and enforcement may be significantly underestimated. You can read more on this from Make UK:
https://www.makeuk.org/news-and-events/news/sharp-rise-tribunal-cases-expected-due-employment-rights-bill

Banning NDAs fundamental to tackling ‘culture of misogyny’ in the music industry, WEC warns

Ministers must act to ban non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual misconduct, bullying, or discrimination to end the “culture of misogyny and discrimination” in the music industry, the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) warns. Their report urges the Government to propose legislation prohibiting NDAs in such cases, demonstrating leadership and ensuring victims are no longer silenced:
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/328/women-and-equalities-committee/news/207198/banning-ndas-fundamental-to-tackling-culture-of-misogyny-in-the-music-industry-wec-warns/

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FREE WEBINAR: Employment Law at 11 - Restructuring with Respect

📅This Morning! 
⏲️11:00 - 11:45 ( 45 mins )

With rising concerns around “quiet redundancies”, AI disruption, and economic uncertainty, many employees are feeling unsettled.

In this timely webinar, Employment Law at 11 regular Seamus McGranaghan of O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors and special guest Denise Collins of ForeBee Consulting, will explore how to handle redundancy lawfully and respectfully—from fair processes and communication, to supporting those affected and retaining trust among those who stay.

A practical session for anyone involved in difficult workforce decisions. Legal Island’s Christine Quinn will be on hand to put your questions to Seamus and Denise LIVE!

Tell your HR colleagues and register individually or get your HR team around the computer and use the webinars as monthly group learning opportunities. Ask any questions (on employment law) and hear the answers live or catch up later when we upload both a recording and transcript of the discussion. Or catch up on Spotify, Amazon or Apple Music while you're on the go!

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

Please note that the employment law matters discussed in this webinar apply primarily to Northern Ireland.

Register Now

MCS Lunch and Learn: What Top Recruiters Know that You Don’t (Yet)       

🔔 Please note that the webinar has been rescheduled to 23rd July.

🗓  Thursday, 23 July 2025
🕚 12:00 – 12:45 (45 mins)
💻 Online

Register HERE.
                                                            
Join Julie from Legal Island for an MCS Lunch and Learn webinar with leading recruitment experts Ryan Calvert and Rebekah Mulligan. In the first quarter of 2025, the business and recruitment landscape has already been reshaped by macroeconomic, socio-economic, and political forces. Policy changes, inflationary pressures, and shifts in the labour market are compelling organisations across the UK and Northern Ireland to reassess their HR strategies. As workforce dynamics continue to evolve and skills demands grow, it’s essential for HR professionals to adapt their approaches to remain competitive and effectively meet new challenges.

In this 45-minute webinar, Ryan and Rebekah will share the latest trends in recruitment, exploring how organisations are addressing skills shortages, meeting the demand for flexible work, and adapting to the changing expectations of today’s candidates. From the rise of AI-assisted applications to the impact of global DEI rollbacks on local employer brands, they’ll outline the trends that will define talent acquisition in 2025 and beyond.

In this session, we’ll cover:

• Evolving Hiring Trends – Gain insight into where job demand is expected to increase in the next year.
  
• Practical Strategies for Addressing Skills Shortages and Talent Demands – Learn how organisations are responding to economic pressures and shifting labour markets.
  
• Building an Authentic and Competitive Employer Brand – Discover how cultural fit and retention efforts can strengthen your recruitment strategy.

Learn how to build trust and strengthen your employer brand in an era where candidates are more informed than ever. Our experts will also discuss how HR teams can stay authentic and competitive in a rapidly shifting environment - ensuring your organisation’s values shine through at every touchpoint, from job adverts to interviews and beyond. Expect practical tips, straight-talking insights, and just enough humour to make your talent challenges feel (almost) manageable.

Got questions? Bring them along! Ryan and Rebekah will be answering audience questions, giving you the chance to get expert advice on the issues that matter most to you.

Check out previous discussions:
Legal Island | Webinars and Podcasts

Enjoy the weekend.

Legal Island

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