This Week’s Quick Five:

1. One in five job ads now market basic employment rights as “perks” 📋
2. New rules on evidence of pregnancy come into force in Northern Ireland 🤰
3. Miscarriage and bereavement at work. What employers need to know 🌿
4. One in four officials say AI saves them at least an hour each week 🤖
5. Iran conflict raises fresh economic concerns for businesses and markets 🌍

In other news................New SSP rules. Real implications for NI employers. Join our "SSP Reform and Managing Sickness Absence in NI" event on 19th March. The employment law experts at Lewis Silkin (NI) LLP will get you up to speed with the changes coming this April. More details HERE. 

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Neurodiversity at Work
4. Workplace pension participation edges up to 82%
5. Legislation Update
6. Iran War Economic Fall-out
7. 25 Years of Living Wage: 1 in 6 jobs paid below the Living Wage in Northern Ireland
8. Just in Case You Missed It...
9. HR Developments
10. Employment News in the Media
11. GB Developments
12. Free Webinars This Month

Attorney General v Messi [2026] EAT 34

Summary Description: 

An order was made finding that the respondent is a vexatious litigant following more than 50 unsuccessful claims to the Tribunal.

Claimant: 

The Attorney General

Respondent: 

Sandra Messi

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case arose by way of a law firm contacting the Attorney General’s office to raise an issue in terms of the number of claims that had been brought by this one individual.  This demonstrates the process that can be followed if there are similar litigants that are popping up with unsubstantiated claims.  The Tribunal found that there was some ‘scheme’ being employed rather than a pursuit of justice.

Read the Review in full: Attorney General v Messi [2026]

Prasad v Epsom & St Helier Hospital NHS Trust & Anor [2026] EAT 22

Summary Description: 

No duty upon the Tribunal to consolidate claims so that they would be against a separate respondent.

Claimant: 

 U Prasad

Respondent: 

Epsom & St Helier Hospital NHS Trust
Jacqueline Totterdell

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This is a case relating to the procedure of the Tribunal especially as it pertains to situations concerning multiple claims.  The EAT making it clear that there is no onus on the Tribunal to seek to consolidate claims and allow them to be put against another party who is subject to the overall global proceedings.

Read the Review in full: Prasad v Epsom & St Helier Hospital NHS Trust & Anor [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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The Empathy Deficit: Why HR Holds the Key to AI That Actually Works

With only 17% of executives seeing empathy as essential in AI, we’ve created a huge ‘Empathy Deficit’ issue, but HR teams are poised to tackle this catastrophic business error. Read more.

Certificate in AI for HR - CPD Certified

Boost your HR career with our Certified AI in HR Course, designed specifically for HR professionals eager to harness the power of artificial intelligence. This is currently the only CPD Certified Course in the UK and Ireland on AI for HR – level of knowledge required beginner to intermediate. Find out more here.

One in four officials saving at least an hour a week by using AI

The annual Civil Service People survey has revealed that a significant proportion of government employees are realising noticeable benefits from the use of generative or automated technology in their job, according to this article from Public Technology.

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

How to choose the right LLM for your workplace and should HR have the final say?

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🎧 Amazon Music 🎧 Apple Podcasts

Simply search for “AI for HR Weekly Podcast” and enjoy expert insights anytime, anywhere.

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Employers are failing to support neurodiversity at work 

Over one-third of workers (35%) think that their employer is ineffective at training managers to support neurodiversity at work, according to a new Acas survey. The survey, carried out by YouGov, of 1,000 employees across Great Britain found that just 32% think their organisation effectively trains managers to make reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent colleagues. More direct from ACAS. 

Skill Builder for HR: Neurodiversity at Work

📅Thursday 26th March 2026
⏰12:30 - 14:00 ( 1 hour 30 mins )
📍Online

Part of the Skill Builder for HR series, this 90-minute practical session is designed for HR professionals managing diverse ways of working across their organisations. Dr Susan Hill of Medmark Occupational Healthcare will share practical guidance on helping HR move from reactive case management to proactive, culture-shaping impact. You’ll gain clear, actionable insights to better support employees, partner effectively with occupational health, and strengthen team dynamics. More here.

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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The proportion of employees with a workplace pension rose slightly between 2021 and 2024, from 79 per cent to 82 per cent, with participation trends stabilising following years of growth after the introduction of auto-enrolment, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown. More from Pensions Age.

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The Social Security and Statutory Maternity Pay (Evidence of Pregnancy) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

These Regulations change two existing sets of rules: the Social Security (Medical Evidence) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1976 and the Statutory Maternity Pay (Medical Evidence) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987. From 1 April 2026, they make a small change to the evidence needed when applying for Maternity Allowance or Statutory Maternity Pay. The change removes the rule that a maternity certificate must be filled in using ink or another permanent substance. This means that copies of the certificate can now be accepted as evidence, not just the original document. More here.

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CIPD: Supporting your workforce through exceptional events

Crisis events like natural disasters, global conflict or the COVID-19 pandemic have a serious impact on people’s lives and on organisations. These resources can help you think through the key considerations and provide guidance on recommended actions during uncertain times.

Urgent call for action as rising oil and gas costs hit households and businesses

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has written to the British Government warning that the rapid rise in global oil and natural gas prices is now placing significant pressure on households and businesses across the north. It comes as consumers using heating oil saw prices rise over 80% in less than a week. Read here.

Iran war will increase inflation and unemployment

The spiralling conflict in the Middle East will lead to higher inflation and rising unemployment, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has forecast. In what is the first economic assessment by a business organisation since last week’s Spring Statement and the first to take account of the conflict in the Middle East, the BCC has warned it could change the economic outlook considerably. In particular, it has revised down its GDP growth forecast for 2026 from 1.2% to 1.0%, with growth of 1.3% forecast in 2027, and 1.1% in 2028. Personnel Today has more on this.

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The latest analysis of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) Data shows that Northern Ireland at 1 in 6, Northern Ireland has the second highest rate of jobs paid below the Living Wage in the UK. With research showing that those paid below the real Living Wage are struggling to buy food, pay household bills and heat their homes, it is vital that more employers sign up to pay their employees at least the real Living Wage. Mary McManus, Regional Manager for Living Wage NI, provides an overview in this article for Slugger O’Toole. More here.

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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.....

Employment Law at 11: 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. Catch up here. 

Your Team Isn't Change Resistant - They're Exhausted

Deirdre Morrison, Co-Founder, Dynacorum Change Technologies shares her insights. Read in full here.

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Fake job applications pack malware that kills endpoint detection before stealing data

HR teams are being targeted with fake CVs that quietly install malware which can disable security tools before stealing data from infected machines. Researchers say the bait arrives as what looks like a perfectly normal job application sitting on a well-known cloud storage service. To the recruiter skimming through a stack of candidates, it appears to be just another CV, but opening it quietly kicks off a series of background actions that knock out security tools and hand the attackers a foothold on the machine. More from The Register.

Fifth of job ads promoting baseline rights as ‘perks’

According to a survey by Reward Gateway | Edenred, companies are listing so-called benefits such as access to water and 28 days’ annual leave – which is a statutory requirement – its research found. Water was found as a “perk” in 1,009 adverts, and coffee in 553. Others cited snacks, fruit, pizza and the Christmas party. Only one company mentioned a ping-pong table – a benefit once associated with dynamic tech companies. Personnel Today has more on this story.

How Gen Z men’s ‘traditional’ values have implications for HR

Almost a third of Gen Z men and boys believe that a wife should obey her husband, and 59% think men are expected to do too much to support equality, according to new figures published by King’s College London. The annual survey of men in 29 countries found that men born between 1997 and 2012 were twice as likely as those from the Baby Boomer (1946-1964) generation to have traditional views on decision-making in a marriage. This may seem removed from the workplace, but there are clear implications for how HR set equal policies and how they are taken up. Fifty-seven per cent of Gen Z men said we have gone so far in promoting women’s equality that we are discriminating against men, the research found. Jo Faragher examines what this means for workplaces, gender equality and HR here.

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John Lewis is awarding its staff a bonus for the first time in four years as the retailer continues its turnaround. The partnership, which operates the eponymous department store chain and Waitrose supermarkets, said underlying profits had grown during its last financial year. The 2% bonus, equivalent to an extra week's pay, will be the first its staff have received since 2022. It was scrapped during the Covid pandemic when the business underwent a major revamp which included shutting shops and cutting jobs, the BBC reports.

The BBC reports the workload entailed in an investigation into alleged sexual offences against a number of potential victims by a former police officer is believed to be "absolutely huge", a Northern Ireland assembly member has said. The former officer was arrested by Police Ombudsman investigators last December on suspicion of "more than ten" non-recent offences, including rape and misconduct in public office. Read the full article here.

A senior Google employee who claimed she was made redundant after reporting a manager for sharing inappropriate stories about his swinger lifestyle has lost her case against the tech giant. Victoria Woodall told a London employment tribunal that she was subjected to a campaign of retaliation after whistleblowing on the man who was later sacked for gross misconduct, which the company found amounted to sexual harassment. More from the BBC. 

A coalition of 18 health unions, including the RCM, has launched a new initiative urging NHS employers to make flexible working the norm. The Get Ahead on Flex pledge calls on employers to speed up progress on flexible working arrangements, including team-rostering and ‘any hours’ contracts.  While all NHS workers currently have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment, unions say accessing that flexibility in practice is often a struggle – particularly for staff with childcare or caring responsibilities.  More here from the Royal College of Midwives.

Shouting “potato” at an Irish colleague in a mock accent amounts to racial harassment, an employment tribunal has found. A judge said repeated use of the terms such as “potato” and “Paddy” were “offensive and humiliating”. The ruling was made at an employment tribunal where an Irish bookkeeper won £20,000 in a race harassment case. More from Yahoo news.

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

10 employment law changes in April 2026 (GB)

As well as the usual April compliance actions and changes to employment law that HR professionals will be expecting, April 2026 brings additional measures being introduced under the GB Employment Rights Act 2025. Rob Moss summarises 10 legal changes for GB employers to prepare for. More.

The Code of Practice (Industrial Action Ballots and Notice to Employers) Order 2026

This Order brings into force a revised Code of Practice on Industrial Action Ballots and Notice to Employers on 5 March 2026. The revision updates the Code so that it aligns with changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, including rules on ballots, voting papers, notice requirements, and reporting ballot results. The Order also includes transitional provisions, and no separate impact assessment was produced because the changes simply reflect amendments already assessed as part of the 2025 Act. Read it in full here.

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Employment Law at 11

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 last week's 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, give 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 weekend!

Legal Island

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