Top 5 Need-to-Know Updates This Week (No time? No problem — here's the important stuff!)

1. 📄 Carer’s Leave Comes to NI – New briefing paper explains what’s changing 🧑‍⚕️
2. 🛂 Immigration White Paper – 10 key takeaways + what people are saying 📌
3. ⚖️ Wellbeing = Legal Duty – It’s not a workplace perk - it’s the law 💼
4. 💻 Polygamous Working on the Rise – WFH makes it easier to ‘cheat’ on employers 🤫
5. 📚 Lidl Redundancy Row – Employee felt “punished” for not having a degree 🎓

And in other news...... Ever wondered how to make GDPR exciting? Us neither — but our Data Protection Event on 21st May is the next best thing. Come for the compliance, stay for the cookies (the digital kind, of course). 🍪🔐BOOK your place today!

**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. Introducing Carer’s Leave in Northern Ireland briefing paper
4. Immigration
5. Remote & Hybrid Working
6. Just in Case You Missed It...
7. HR Developments
8. Employment News in the Media
9. GB Developments
10. Friends of Legal Island
11. Free Webinars This Month

Boohene v Royal Parks Ltd [2025] UKSC/2025/0030

Summary Description: 

Supreme Court refuse permission to appeal against the Court of Appeal rejecting the claimant’s case that they were discriminated against as they were not paid the London Living Wage compared to directly employed employees.

Claimant/Appellant:

Geneviv Boohene & Others

Respondent: 

The Royal Parks Ltd

Practical Guidance for Employers:

Whilst this is not a judgement per se, it does demonstrate the Supreme Court’s view in terms of whether there is an arguable appeal from the Court of Appeal decision and also demonstrates how this long-running case has now come to an end. The decision also demonstrates how Section 41 of the 2010 Act relates to the principal and not the contractor – a subtle distinction which does have a real life effect.

Read the Review in full:
Boohene v Royal Parks Ltd [2025]

Rooke v NHS Blood and Transplant [2025] Case No: 2300130/2022

Summary Description: 

When a colleague completed a personality test using her perception of the claimant’s personality leading to a finding that she was like ‘Darth Vader’ it was regarded as a detriment relating to a protected disclosure made by the claimant.

Claimant: 

L Rooke

Respondent: 

NHS Blood and Transplant

Practical Guidance for Employers:

This case gained some media attention largely because it gets attention with the mention of Darth Vader comparison and a monetary award. However, as with all of those situations, there is much more nuance to the matter. There had been a long-running issue within the workplace leading to some protected disclosures and there was a link between those and the test being completed on the claimant’s behalf – that was such to lead to a detriment and a successful claim here.

Read the Review in full:
Rooke v NHS Blood and Transplant [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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Gen AI guidance tells Scottish officials ‘do not share anything you would not share with a member of the public’

Officials working for the Scottish Government have been warned to avoid sharing government policy details when using artificial intelligence tools. Guidance on the use of technologies such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, DeepSeek or X’s Grok, warns civil servants not to discuss confidential information with AI tools to ensure the government is not linked to “insensitive or inappropriate” content. Public Technology has more on this story:
https://www.publictechnology.net/2025/05/15/science-technology-and-research/gen-ai-guidance-tells-scottish-officials-do-not-share-anything-you-would-not-share-with-a-member-of-the-public/

Majority of HR leaders say AI training is offered, but only a third of employees have received it, exclusive data shows

97 per cent of HR leaders claim their organisations offer artificial intelligence training, but only two in five (39 per cent) employees have received it, research has revealed. Corndel’s 2025 Workplace Training Report, which gathered insights from 250 HR leaders and 1,000 UK employees, highlighted that only 44 per cent of employees felt their organisations were ready to adopt AI – despite 88 per cent of HR leaders expressing confidence in their teams’ preparedness. You can read more on this from People Management:
https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1916991/majority-hr-leaders-say-ai-training-offered-third-employees-received-it-exclusive-data-shows

The Alarming Gap in AI Training at Work

In this week's episode of AI for HR Weekly, Barry Phillips delves into a pressing issue: the significant lack of AI training in today's workplaces. As AI technologies become increasingly integral to business operations, many organisations are falling behind in equipping their staff with the necessary skills and understanding. Barry discusses the implications of this training gap and offers insights into how businesses can address this challenge to stay competitive and compliant.

The Alarming Gap in AI Training at Work

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The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 grants employees in England, Scotland, and Wales up to five days of unpaid leave per year to care for a dependent with a long-term care need. This leave can be taken in half-day or full-day increments or as a single block, aiming to reduce stress for carers and improve work-life balance. Since employment rights are devolved, the Act does not apply in Northern Ireland, but a proposal under the ‘Good Jobs’ Employment Rights Bill consultation suggests introducing similar protections there, alongside existing entitlements like flexible working and parental leave. The Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (UUEPC) briefing paper on Carer’s Leave in Northern Ireland is available:
https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/publications/introducing-carers-leave-northern-ireland-briefing-paper

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Immigration white paper: 10 key points and reaction

Prime minister Keir Starmer announced the government’s Immigration White Paper, pledging to drastically reduce employers’ reliance on overseas workers and promote investment in homegrown skills. Key points include:

1. Care worker visa route closed to new applicants
2. Timeframe to qualify for citizenship doubles
3. Skilled worker visa requirements to be higher

More from Personnel Today: 
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/immigration-white-paper-10-key-points-and-reaction/

You can view the white paper here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821aec3f16c0654b19060ac/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper.pdf

Overseas recruitment for care workers to end

The government’s Immigration White Paper, published on Monday, aims to reduce net migration by ending further overseas recruitment in the care sector. Around 40,000 displaced workers will be given the opportunity to return to their promised jobs while long-term plans focus on training domestic talent. International workers already legally employed will still be able to extend their stay, switch sponsors, and apply for settlement. The full press release is here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/overseas-recruitment-for-care-workers-to-end

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Polygamous working on the rise as ease of cheating on employers blamed on WFH and remote working

Remote work has opened the door to a growing trend of employees secretly holding multiple full-time jobs, a practice known as polygamous working or being “overemployed.” While having multiple jobs isn't illegal, doing so without disclosure often breaches contracts, strains productivity, and can pose legal and ethical issues. Tech Radar has more on this:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/polygamous-working-on-the-rise-as-ease-of-cheating-on-employers-blamed-on-wfh-and-remote-working

DWP announces 60% in-office rule across all grades from September

The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed it will introduce a minimum expectation of 60% office attendance for all staff who are eligible for hybrid working. DWP permanent secretary Sir Peter Schofield told staff on Thursday that the department would put the new in-office instruction in place from 1 September. Civil Service World has more on this story https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/dwp-demands-60-inoffice-mandate-across-all-grades-from-september

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What are your thoughts on SSP changes coming to NI?

A discussion about Statutory Sick pay changes discussed in Westminster and their likely impact in Northern Ireland. More from Seamus Says:
What are your thoughts on SSP changes coming to NI?

Carer's Leave: Will individuals have the right to a minimum amount of days per year, and would that be prorated?

Seamus speculates on the introduction of carer’s leave in Northern Ireland and what it’s likely to look like. More:
Carer's Leave: Will individuals have the right to a minimum amount of days per year, and would that be prorated?

For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers: The Seven Red Flags for Employers

Peter Daly, known for his role in key gender-critical belief cases, shares his take on the Supreme Court ruling and what it means for employers. Read more here: 
For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers: The Seven Red Flags for Employers

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Wellbeing Isn’t a Perk. It’s a Legal Duty

Businesses underestimate just how serious the consequences can be. Failing to meet your duty of care doesn’t just affect employee wellbeing. It opens the door to legal, financial, and reputational risk. HR Director has more:
https://www.thehrdirector.com/wellbeing-isnt-perk-legal-duty/

CIPD Labour Market Outlook

The CIPD’s quarterly Labour Market Outlook is one of the most authoritative employment indicators in the UK and provides forward-looking labour market data and analysis on employers’ recruitment, redundancy and pay intentions. Key takeaways include:

•    Fewer employers expect to grow their workforce in the next three months.   
•    One in four employers plan to make redundancies in the next three months, unchanged from last quarter.  
•    Median basic pay rises remain at 3% across the public, private and voluntary sectors.

The full report is here: 
https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/reports/labour-market-outlook/

How to stretch your budget to achieve high-impact L&D

Tight budgets don’t have to mean low impact. This article from the Training Journal shares smart, strategic ways to do more with less in your L&D department, so you can look at boosting learning, increasing performance, and sparking innovation – without breaking the bank:
https://www.trainingjournal.com/2025/content-type/features/how-to-stretch-your-budget-to-achieve-high-impact-ld/

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A Lidl employee who felt “punished” by redundancy criteria requiring him to have a degree or qualification and was unfairly dismissed has been awarded £50,926 by a tribunal. Wayne Norman worked as a senior construction consultant for the supermarket chain where he was responsible for overseeing the building and refurbishment of regional stores before being made redundant in March 2023. More from The Standard:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/lidl-doncaster-north-wales-welsh-b1227507.html

Thomas Elliott, a former project coordinator at law firm Eversheds Sutherland, has been banned from the legal profession after improperly creating invoices for pro bono work. Elliott, who also served as a local football club secretary, introduced a footballer to the firm for free legal assistance during a disciplinary investigation. However, after the case was resolved, he attempted to recover costs by generating invoices, despite the firm's pro bono commitment. The Solicitors Regulation Authority barred him for this misconduct. Legal Cheek has more on this:
https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/05/eversheds-employee-barred-after-invoicing-for-pro-bono-work/

More than 2,500 classroom assistants in Northern Ireland are not moving to permanent contracts despite more than four years of service, a trade union has said. Unite is calling on Education Minister Paul Given to intervene to end precarious ‘temporary’ working among school support workers. Unite say figures supplied to trade unions by the Education Authority show widespread reliance on temporary working for staff such as nursery, general and classroom assistants in schools. You can read more from Belfast Live:
https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/over-2500-classroom-assistants-temp-31626063

A 31-year-old woman has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for stealing almost £200,000 from her employer to fund a lavish lifestyle. Anita Mirmohammadi was caught defrauding her employer after she had started working at a Brentwood-based business as a manager in their finance team in 2018, entitling her to access to a business credit card. Yellow Advertiser has more on this:
https://www.yellowad.co.uk/woman-jailed-for-for-six-figure-fraud-on-brentwood-company-credit-card/

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Peloton Tribunal Ruling: A Reminder of the Duty to Make Reasonable Adjustments

A recent GB Employment Tribunal decision against Peloton has reignited discussion around the duty of employers to make reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities under the Equality Act 2010. The case involved Ciaran Saunders, an autistic employee who worked at Peloton’s Covent Garden studio and reported difficulties caused by the studio’s loud music, flashing lights, and customer-facing environment. Despite these challenges, the Tribunal found that Peloton did not sufficiently accommodate his needs—failing to implement agreed rest breaks or adequately consider redeployment options. More from Lexology:
https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=85687821-a9b5-49af-b7a7-88b8b8b90cb3&utm_source

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Law Society of Northern Ireland hosts major event celebrating international commitment to protecting legal professionals

The Law Society of Northern Ireland was proud to host a significant ceremonial event at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, on Tuesday to mark the Opening of Signature of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer and the formal promotion of the Society’s Rule of Law Pledge.
Landmark Signing Ceremony Held at Stormont to Mark Opening of Signature of Historic Legal Convention | The Law Society of Northern Ireland

Law Society of Northern Ireland Launches Bursary to Support Aspiring Solicitors

The Scheme was introduced in 2023 as part of a legacy project to mark the Society’s Centenary year with the aim of broadening access to the profession by supporting Trainee Solicitors without the means to finance their place at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS):
https://lawsoc-ni.org/news/law-society-ni-launches-bursary

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

🗓  Thursday, 22 May 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 your weekend!

Legal Island

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