This Week's Big 5:

1. Job security fears surge... LRA reveals spike in calls 📞
2. Good Jobs Bill blocked... ICTU hits out at business lobby veto 😤
3. Two firefighters suspended after being caught on camera during last week's disorder 🔥
4. Capability or capacity... are we mixing up the two? 🤔
5. The hidden cost of a culture of silence in your organisation 🤫

In other news................Struggling with protected disclosures? We've got you covered. On 8th July, Michelle McGinley of Employers Federation brings her expertise to Skill Builder for HR, with real tips for managing whistleblowing issues. Find out more.

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Skill Builder for HR: Managing Protected Disclosures
4. LRA reveals spike in calls over job security
5. ICTU: Business lobby exercises its unreasonable and unaccountable veto over popular Good Jobs Bill
6. Northern Ireland family health food company named among UK’s best places to work after 84%, rated ‘Excellent’
7. Just in Case You Missed It...
8. HR Developments
9. Health & Safety Developments
10. Employment News in the Media
11. GB Developments
12. Friends of Legal Island
13. Free Webinars This Month

Karebassanavar v Bamford Bus Company & Others [2026] NIIT 12876/25

Summary Description: 

Claimant was dismissed during the probation period and argued that it was automatically unfair relating to bereavement leave. The Tribunal dismissed the claim.

Claimant: 

Praveen Karebassanavar

Respondent: 

Bamford Bus Company Ltd
Michelle Barr
Leigh Green

Practical Guidance for Employers:

The Tribunal provided an interesting view in terms of the legislation which states that dismissal relating to parental bereavement leave would be automatically unfair but the explanatory aspect within the legislation refers to dependants rather than solely children.  The Tribunal decided to take the broader approach and that may be useful for employers to be aware of going forward.  Despite that broad approach, it did not change the outcome as the claimant was unable to demonstrate that the dismissal had been because of availing of that statutory right.

Read the Review in full: Karebassanavar v Bamford Bus Company & Others [2026]

Brown v Belfast City Council [2026] NIFET 16/25

Summary Description: 

Claim for discrimination could not continue as it was brought out of time and he did not convince the Tribunal to extend time.

Claimant: 

Stewart Brown

Respondent: 

Belfast City Council

Practical Guidance for Employers:

Another case in relation to the extension of time when it comes to a discrimination claim.  The importance as exemplified by the Tribunal’s judgment at various points is that it is for the claimant to convince the Tribunal that it would be just and equitable to extend time. Whilst it is not solely on the basis of the length of the delay it is a key aspect and in this situation the delay was prolonged.  As a result, the claim could not continue to a full hearing.

Read the Review in full: Brown v Belfast City Council [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

Accenture: HR must take the lead on AI agents

Major changes in how C-suite roles are structured are needed in response to the rise of AI, the chief executive of Accenture UK and Ireland has said, with HR directors taking the lead. Matt Prebble said HR directors will have to take responsibility for managing AI agents alongside human staff in future. He told the Financial Times: “When you consider running the organisation of the future, you’re going to think about how do I set up the organisation so that I’m managing people, but also agents and AI and technology?” Read more.

Skills gaps could leave half of AI roles unfilled by 2028

The UK could face a shortage of more than 160,000 AI professionals by 2028 – more than half what will be needed – as demand for digital talent continues to outpace domestic supply, according to a new analysis. The research from recruiter Robert Walters and payments platform Native Teams has suggested demand for AI professionals in the UK could reach almost 300,000 by 2028, against an estimated domestic supply of just 137,000. Catch up.

Why HR leaders need to prepare for the next generation of AI-Native employees

The UK government’s new consultation on children, technology and AI may appear far removed from the workplace, but its findings could have significant implications for HR leaders. As policymakers examine digital literacy, online safety and AI use among young people, employers face growing questions around workforce readiness, future skills, employee wellbeing and the expectations of the next generation of AI-native workers. HRD Connect 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 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

There has been a “marked rise” in calls about job security and workplace issues in Northern Ireland the first half of this year, according to the Labour Relations Agency (LRA). It said redundancy related enquiries spiked in January and February before stabilising in March and April, but concerns about contract changes and unfair dismissal remain elevated. You can read more on this from the Irish News.

Back to Top

Following the NI Executive meeting on Thursday 11 June which discussed yet again the Good Jobs Bill and yet again failed to approve its passing to the NI Assembly for debate, ICTU Assistant General Secretary Gerry Murphy said:

“This decision not to allow the Good Jobs Bill to progress before MLAs take their holidays will squeeze out any time for the legislation to get through it’s stages. It is possible that it may get through before March 2027, but only with a very fair wind and the complete consent of all of the Executive parties. The bill has the support of a clear majority of elected MLAs in the Assembly chamber and on the Economy Committee…”

More here.

Back to Top

Northern Ireland family firm Linwoods Health Foods has been recognised in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work Awards celebrating the company’s commitment to employee wellbeing, workplace culture and long-term staff engagement. Organisations are assessed through employee feedback across key workplace engagement areas including reward and recognition, information sharing, empowerment, wellbeing, pride and job satisfaction. More from the News Letter.

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.....

What's the risk to an organisation where a culture of silence exists?

'Seamus Says' boils down the best bits from Legal Island's Employment Law at 11 webinar into straight-talking takeaways you can use immediately. Read the latest here.

The AI skills gap in Northern Ireland: what HR business leaders told us

Lewis Silkin surveyed 66 HR leaders and senior decision makers across Northern Ireland to find out how AI is impacting their work and workforce planning. Find out more.

Back to Top

World Cup: Absence and ‘banter’ management on HR radar

With the World Cup finals in the USA now well under way, HR experts are continuing to warn organisations over the potential for workplace disruption because of absences and ‘banter’. Lisa Patmore, employment partner at Dorsey & Whitney, warned that many employees were now shaping their schedules according to the football schedule rather than by their normal working hours. She said that although England’s match with Croatia started at a “relatively civilised” 9pm, the celebrations after the match including the liberal consumption of alcohol will have caused problems the following morning. More.

Are we confusing capability with capacity problems?

When someone is underperforming at work, managers often rush to brand it as a capability problem and address it as such. Instead, workplaces should foster the conditions where workers have the capacity to cope, says Claire Libby. Mental ill health costs UK employers billions every year. Yet despite growing awareness of workplace wellbeing, many organisations are still responding to problems far later than they need to. Personnel Today has more.

Back to Top

Managers at the frontline of tackling psychosocial risks

Managers play a vital role in creating safe, healthy and supportive workplaces. A new OSHwiki article explores how managers can help prevent and manage psychosocial risks by recognising workplace risk factors, supporting open communication, involving workers and promoting good work organisation. The article from OSH News highlights that psychosocial risks should be managed like any other occupational safety and health risk: through prevention, early action and a structured approach.

Back to Top

Criminal barristers in Northern Ireland are to return to covering legally aided Crown Court cases after coming to an agreement in their dispute over fees. The strike, which began on 5 January, meant no Crown Court cases involving people who require legal aid could proceed while the dispute continued. In a statement, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said 65% of their members voted on Thursday to return to full service. Read in full on the BBC.

The Daily Mail reports the director of the University of Cambridge's prestigious Institute of Astronomy acted in a ‘wicked’ way by trying to blame other professors for the ‘stress and anxiety’ suffered by a woman colleague, an employment tribunal heard.  The accusation about Professor Richard McMahon was aired amid an extraordinary dispute in which the institute, a leader in research into the evolution of the universe and formation of the solar system, has been accused of a 'bad history of misogyny'. More here.

A programme co-ordinator whose boss asked her if she was going through menopause has been awarded more than £22k for victimisation. Lucie Waller, who worked at Swann Engineering Group, brought claims of sexual harassment, victimisation and constructive dismissal after her line manager, Andrew Gregory, made two menopause-related remarks when she lost her train of thought. More from People Management.

Two firefighters who were caught on camera "tussling" during last week's disorder have been suspended, Belfast Live understands. The individuals, both of whom are reported to be "on-call" firefighters, had been attending a fire at the Department for Infrastructure site after a vehicle had been set on fire. The arson was carried out during disorder close to the Sandyknowes roundabout in Newtownabbey when the incident was caught on camera by the Sky News helicopter.

Back to Top

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

All change for employment tribunal deadlines in England & Wales: guidance for HR

With the time allowed to bring a claim doubling from three months to six in GB, People Management explains what businesses need to know. Access the article here.

Britain's tribunal system rewarding pointless litigation, new research warns

A new briefing from the Centre for Policy Studies argues that Britain’s tribunal system has become swollen, costly and damaging to growth. The report also shows that the doctrine of ‘equal value’ is likely to result in billions more in equal pay claims for retailers, gig economy firms and local councils. The GMB union alone has 40,000 claims outstanding across 26 local authorities, and intends to launch a further 10,000. You can find out more on this briefing from the Centre for Policy Studies.

Are you keeping records on holiday pay?

As of 6 April 2026, UK employers have been under a new statutory duty to keep adequate records demonstrating compliance with workers’ holiday and holiday pay rights. This obligation, introduced at the last minute by the Employment Rights Act 2025, represents a significant shift from previous practice. Frances Rollin, Senior Knowledge Lawyer at Stevens & Bolton outlines what employers should ensure their records clearly indicate.

Back to Top

Head of employment law appointed at ALG

A huge congratulations and welcome to Emma-Jane for all at Legal Island!

Corporate law firm A&L Goodbody (ALG) has appointed a new head of employment law at its Belfast office.  Emma-Jane Flannery joins ALG after four years as in-house senior legal counsel at a major global FMCG and consumer packed goods company, having recorded more than 22 years' experience more widely advising domestic and international clients on all aspects of employment and equality law. More here.

Back to Top

Employment Law at 11 - Real Cases, Real Lessons

If you didn't get to join Seamus McGranaghan, O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors & Christine Quinn, Legal Island in the latest Employment Law at 11 as they discussed NI caselaw - shoplifters, swearing and ChatGPT, don't worry - you can catch up here.

Enjoy your weekend!

Legal Island

Back to Top