🚀 This Week’s Must-Read Top 5! (For busy people who need the key updates - fast!)

1. 📌 New Pay Rates – Labour Relations Agency breaks it down 🔎💰
2. ⚖️ £215K Settlement – Ex-Citibank NI employee wins sex discrimination case
3. 🤖 AI Hiring Warning – More bots, more bad hires? Experts sound the alarm 🚨
4. 💡 The Real Meeting Happens After the Meeting – And it's killing progress!
5. 🚔 36 Arrests in Titanic Quarter Raid – Home Office crackdown at construction site

And in other news.... join Seamus and Christine for an Employment Law at 11 Diversity & Inclusion Special on Friday 4th April - REGISTER HERE for this FREE webinar! 💻

**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. Northern Ireland to finally implement Tea Alarm Legislation
4. April 2025: Changes
5. DEI
6. Illegal Working
7. Spring statement & Budget
8. Work Quality in Northern Ireland Statistics - March 2025
9. Just in Case You Missed It...
10. HR Developments
11. Employment News in the Media
12. GB Developments
13. Friends of Legal Island
14. Free Webinars This Month

Griffiths v Scarista Limited & Others [2025] EAT 36

Summary Description: Tribunal had erred procedurally when continuing to write a judgment treating the claims as live even though they had been withdrawn following settlement.

Claimant/Appellant:  M Griffiths

Respondents:  Scarista Limited, KKR Private Credit Opportunities Partners LP & Alcentra Limited

Keywords: Tribunal Procedure; Settlements

Practical Guidance for Employers:

An odd case relating to procedure but one which the Tribunal should take heed of.  Where time is given for a settlement and then a judgment is given despite that settlement and withdrawal of the claim – then that judgment is procedurally in error.

Read the Review in full:
Griffiths v Scarista Limited & Others [2025]

PD & MJ Ltd v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [2025] UKUT 94

Summary Description: A football pundit, providing services through a personal services company, was regarded as an employee under a hypothetical contract for the purposes of tax.

Appellant: PD & MJ Ltd

Respondent: Revenue and Customs Commissioner

Keywords: IR35; Employment Status; Tax

Practical Guidance for Employers:

The IR35 legislation continues to provide some useful examples of where an employee-employer relationship would be found in situations where there are companies and contracts established trying to get away from that for the purpose of tax.  Here the fact that there was some scope within the contract to not take on work was not borne out in terms of the facts and the point that Mr Thompson could provide his own personal opinion again did not displace the conclusion that he was acting as an employee.

Read the Review in full:
PD & MJ Ltd v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [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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Artificial intelligence to be regulated differently in Northern Ireland and Britain

Artificial intelligence faces different regulations in Northern Ireland and Britain as a new EU law is phased in from next month, just as the UK attempts to step up its global AI ambitions. The UK’s exit from the EU left Northern Ireland with continued access to the bloc’s market for goods and subject to some EU laws. It put a politically sensitive customs border in the Irish Sea, which will now also extend to some digital operations under the EU’s AI Act. More from the Financial Times: 
https://www.ft.com/content/e140488a-2a1a-495f-a6b0-0e9e76832eec

AI job application rise 'risks hiring incapable staff' 

Advertising boss James Robinson said he and other business leaders were seeing a "real trend" in applicants using generative AI chatbots, and warned candidates who were good at using the technology could "engineer" the process without being "capable of doing the job". A recent survey of more than 2,000 job applicants in the UK found just under half had used AI to help them with the application process. The BBC has more on this: 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx29z8lyx71o 

ChatGPT at Work: The Compliance Nightmare No One's Talking About (Yet)

In this podcast, Barry Phillips discusses the urgent need for improved utilisation of ChatGPT to safeguard sensitive data in the workplace. He highlights the compliance challenges posed by AI tools and emphasises the importance of proactive measures to mitigate potential risks.​

ChatGPT at Work: The Compliance Nightmare No One's Talking About (Yet)

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☕🔔 The Northern Ireland Assembly has passed emergency legislation to bring the region into compliance with the Tea Consumption Act 1746, ending decades of legislative limbo.

NI fell behind the rest of the UK on this crucial issue during the Troubles, as it was feared that mandatory tea alarms might add to community tensions. However, the Good Friday Agreement included provisions for the re-introduction of the legislation - once it had cross-community consent.

That consent was finally achieved overnight, paving the way for implementation on 1st April 2025. The first official tea alarm is scheduled for 6am this coming Tuesday, marking the first ‘Early Brew’ since 1969. An historic day for tea drinkers across the country!

Find out more:

Link to the GB Tea Licensing Authority (NI will appoint its own licensing authority in the coming days):
https://tealicensingauthority.co.uk/#regulations

Read about how people in the rest of the UK deal with the tea alarm:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskBrits/comments/1jejyyl/how_do_you_feel_about_the_tea_time_alarms/?rdt=43413

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Labour Relations Agency: Pay Rates at a glance - April 2025 - March 2026

Here are the headlines:

• The National Living Wage will increase to £12.21 per hour from 1 April 2025 and will apply to employees aged 21 and over.
• The employers’ national insurance contributions will rise from 13.8% to 15% on 6 April 2025. The threshold at which employers become liable to pay NICs will drop from £9,100 to £5,000, until 5 April 2028.
• Statutory sick pay rises by £2 to £118.75 per week from 6 April, with the lower earnings threshold that must be met to be eligible for these payments rising to £125 a week.

More:
https://www.lra.org.uk/hours-and-pay/pay-rates-glance-april-2025-march-2026

The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025

This Order increases, from 6th April 2025, the limits applying to certain awards of industrial tribunals, the Fair Employment Tribunal or Labour Relations Agency statutory arbitration, and other amounts payable under employment legislation which can be found here:  
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2025/63/contents/made

Updated Presidential Guidance on Vento bands

The Presidents of the Employment Tribunals in England and Wales and in Scotland have issued an Eighth Addendum to the Presidential Guidance on employment tribunal awards for injury to feelings. The Addendum includes updated Vento bands for such awards, which have been adjusted to take account of the RPI measure of inflation.

For claims presented on or after 6 April 2025, the bands will be as follows:

• a lower band of £1,200 to £12,100 for less serious cases;
• a middle band of £12,100 to £36,400 for cases that do not merit an award in the upper band;
• and an upper band of £36,400 to £60,700 for the most serious cases, with the most exceptional cases capable of exceeding £60,700.

Whilst this is Presidential Guidance for England, Wales and Scotland only, it tends to be followed in Northern Ireland by our Tribunals. More:
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vento-Bands-Presidential-Guidance-April-2025-addendum.pdf

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Former Citibank employee settles sex discrimination case for £215,000

A former Citibank N.A. United Kingdom employee has settled her sex and disability discrimination cases against the company for £215,000. The cases were supported by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. You can read the full story here: 
https://www.equalityni.org/Footer-Links/News/Individuals/Former-Citibank-employee-settles-sex-discriminatio

And here's the BBC's take on the story:
https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgp0j3jjnmo.amp

Elite US law firm bends to Trump’s demands 

US law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison has folded to President Trump’s executive order and agreed to supply $40m in free legal advice to the White House. Last week, Trump issued an order threatening to suspend active security clearances of attorneys at Paul, Weiss and to terminate any federal contracts the firm has. Now, Trump has rescinded the executive order against Paul, Weiss after the firm reportedly agreed to disavow the use of DEI considerations in its hiring and to dedicate the equivalent of $40m in free legal services to support Trump administration policies. More from City AM: 
https://www.cityam.com/elite-us-law-firm-bends-to-trumps-demands/ 

Free D&I webinar

Join Seamus McGranaghan of O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors and Christine Quinn of Legal Island as they discuss this very topic at the next FREE Employment Law at 11 webinar on Friday 4th April. They answers questions including:

1. Should DEI initiatives continue, or is it time for a different approach?
2. How can employers in Northern Ireland sustain DEI initiatives amid global challenges?
3. How can organisations demonstrate the value of DEI to employees and stakeholders?

REGISTER HERE

Chief Executives across HTL and retail sign WiHTL & Diversity in retail pledge 

WiHTL & Diversity in Retail, the only Collaboration Community devoted to increasing inclusion across Hospitality, Travel, Leisure and Retail has announced widespread support from over 50 Chief Executives in a campaign demonstrating their continued commitment to building more inclusive organisations, and highlighting the sector as being welcoming to all. More here from HR Director: 
https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/culture/chief-executives-across-htl-retail-sign-wihtl-diversity-retail-pledge/

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Home Office arrest 36 in Titanic Quarter construction site 'swoop'

More than 30 people have been arrested at a construction site in Belfast's Titanic Quarter. The Home Office said its immigration enforcement officers, supported by the Belfast Harbour Police, "swooped" on the site. It said it was "acting on intelligence of illegal workers operating for a sub-contractor inside the premises". More from the BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2d4wed5ywdo

Don’t be caught out when it comes to workers from abroad

The Home Office is cracking down on illegal working. In a telling sign of the UK Government’s intensified enforcement action against businesses, a record-breaking 828 places of work were raided in January 2025 – a 73 per cent increase from the previous year. Sectors including hospitality, retail and the beauty industry were key targets, with enforcement officers focusing their raids on restaurants, nail bars, car washes and warehouses. You can read more on this from The Scotsman:
https://www.scotsman.com/business/dont-be-caught-out-when-it-comes-to-workers-from-abroad-5042778

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Reeves to take on unions in showdown over austerity Budget

Rachel Reeves is gearing up for a major fight with trade unions who warn they will not stand by and allow a second age of austerity in the UK. With serious concerns that the chancellor plans a severe squeeze on departmental budgets to balance the books, union bosses fear a new round of pay freezes and thousands of job losses. More from the Independent:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rachel-reeves-spring-statement-unions-austerity-b2721390.html? 

Spring statement: key takeaways for HR

People Management has compiled a summary of the key points from Reeves’ speech, highlighting the areas employers need to be aware of:
https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1911756/spring-statement-key-takeaways-hr

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The latest Work Quality statistical publication was published by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA), including these findings:

• Job security has remained consistently high across the time series, with nearly all employees in secure employment (96% in 2024)
• Half of NI employees reporting that they had the correct level of skills required for their current duties (52%)
• A greater proportion of females are in flexible work (65%) than males (47%). Although this is a substantial difference, the proportion of males reporting flexible work has grown by 9 percentage points since 2020. 
  
  You can read more here:
  https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/news/work-quality-northern-ireland-statistics-march-2025

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‘B’ is for Benefits: The Key to Employee Attraction, Retention, and Well-being

Research by Willis Towers Watson (2023) found that 70% of employees consider benefits a key factor in job decisions, and organisations with strong benefits programs experience higher retention rates and improved employee loyalty. Charlotte Eakin of AAB People explains more:
https://legal-island.ie/employment-law-hub/b-is-for-benefits-the-key-to-employee-attraction-retention-and-well-being?x-craft-preview=acfad344f13e466aa0dd102f70e982a3bf9d3bf202d6b80549db5feab5389530qnemqwlfek&token=oCaIvFxygq7bAbl6MuHql6ey1cA2wqXc

Why the Feeling of Being an Imposter Doesn’t Have to be a Horror Movie...and how you can reframe it as a sign of growth

Imposter syndrome. That familiar, creeping feeling that you’re not quite what people think you are — that you’ll be “found out.” It shows up in performance reviews, onboarding conversations, coaching sessions, and maybe even quietly in the back of your own mind. But what if imposter syndrome isn’t something to fix or overcome? What if it’s something to welcome? Executive Coach and Vitamin P Founder Philip Brady has more:
https://legal-island.com/employment-law-hub/why-the-feeling-of-being-an-imposter-doesnt-have-to-be-a-horror-movie-and-how-you-can-reframe-it-as-a-sign-of-growth

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How the ‘Meeting after the Meeting’ Undermines Innovation and Progress

In many corporate environments, the real discussions don't always happen during the meeting itself. Instead, they take place afterward, when the meeting's core ideas are dissected, altered, or even dismissed behind closed doors. This is the "meeting after the meeting," where participants—often the more vocal or influential individuals—debate the points discussed, cast doubts, or change the course of action without the broader team's input. More here from Forbes: 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianehamilton/2025/03/21/how-the-meeting-after-the-meeting-undermines-innovation-and-progress/

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Starbucks has fired back at a former store manager who sued the coffeehouse chain over his claim of having faced “egregious” discrimination because he is straight. Christopher Thevanesan’s lawsuit is “nonsensical,” “entirely without merit,” and “devoid of any facts” to support his allegations, according to the company’s motion to dismiss. Thevanesan described himself as a “heterosexual, gender typical man,” and said higher-ups at the Rochester, New York Starbucks location where he worked treated him “in a materially different manner” than employees who were “not heterosexual and/or gender typical men” according to The Independent:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/starbucks-lgbtq-workplace-harassment-discrimination-b2722107.html

A librarian at Trinity College took legal action against the College for racial discrimination after being denied leave to travel to India for a term, an employment tribunal has heard. Havovi Anklesaria, who has worked at Trinity for over 30 years, wanted to take three months off at the start of the year instead of over the summer. When her request was refused, she declined a permanent position at the College and pursued a case against the University, alleging race discrimination and victimisation. Varsity has more on this: 
https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/29393

A postman has been awarded £3,000 after an employment tribunal found he was unfairly dismissed for working a second job as a taxi driver while on sick leave from Royal Mail. The Glasgow tribunal found that Royal Mail did not carry out a reasonable investigation into Mr Weston’s actions, in a case that focused on whether his fit note precluded “any” work rather than work in his role as a postman, and the appointment of a key witness to investigate Weston’s conduct. You can read more from Personnel Today: https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/postman-second-job-sick-leave-unfair-dismissal-weston-v-royal-mail/

Government running costs will be cut by 15% by the end of the decade, the chancellor has promised. Rachel Reeves told the BBC savings would be made from back office and administrative roles rather than front-line services. But unions warned the impact of cuts would still be felt by the public, while 10,000 jobs are expected to go, reports the BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy5nzy403l0o

Two companies, Kalmar Solutions AB and Scruttons (NI) Limited, have been fined a total of €450,000 following a fatal workplace incident at Dublin Ferryport Terminal in 2019. A Health and Safety Authority investigation found failures in vehicle design and risk assessment, contributing to the death of a haulier. The case highlights the critical importance of robust workplace safety measures and compliance with health and safety regulations. The full HAS press release is here:
https://www.hsa.ie/eng/news_events_media/news/press_releases_2025/fines_totalling_450_000_handed_down_following_fatal_injury_to_worker_in_dublin_ferryport.html

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Employment law is a devolved power in Northern Ireland. The items in this section apply throughout GB only (Scotland and England & Wales) unless we specify they apply to NI.

Easter bank holidays: Do GB Employers owe staff an extra day off? 

GB Employers with a holiday year running from April to March are being warned that they could owe their employees an extra day’s leave in the next week because Easter is late this year. In England and Wales, there are ordinarily eight bank holidays per year. But because Good Friday and Easter Monday both fall in April in 2025, employees with an April-to-March annual leave entitlement will only receive seven public holidays. Personnel Today provides guidance on what checks you should make: 
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/easter-bank-holidays-annual-leave-holiday-working-time-regulations/

Neo-Natal Pay Leave & Pay - England, Wales & Scotland - 6th April 2025

The Statutory Neonatal Care Pay (General) Regulations 2025

Coming into force on 6th of April 2025 in England, Wales and Scotland: 
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/376/contents/made

The Neonatal Care Leave and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2025

Coming into force on 6th of April 2025 in England, Wales and Scotland: 
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/375/contents/made

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Labour Relations Agency welcome 16 new Independent Appeal Panel Chairs

The LRA  are delighted to welcome on board 16 new Independent Appeal Panel Chairs, bringing their total group to 26. Their Independent Appeal Hearing service forms an important part of their range of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services. It refers to the final stage of appeal in an organisation’s procedure and allows the case to be reviewed by an independent panel. The panel will decide whether the procedure was followed correctly and if the outcome was fair and reasonable. The option to have the LRA facilitate an Independent Appeal Hearing was written into some ‘collective agreements’ between Trade Unions and employers, mainly in the public sector.

You'll recognise many of the newly appointed Chairs as good friends of Legal Island - congratulations and all the best in your new role!

Find out more:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-labour-relations-agency_we-are-delighted-to-welcome-on-board-16-new-activity-7310294348850495488-fPMq?

Salaried Legally Qualified Member of the Appeal Tribunals

NIJAC is now launching a Scheme to recruit a Salaried Legally Qualified Member of the Appeal Tribunals and to maintain a reserve list which will last for 12 months from the date of the first swearing in (but no more than 15 months from the published anticipated appointment date).

Eligibility:

To be eligible for appointment as a Salaried Legally Qualified Member of the Appeal Tribunals is to, by the anticipated date of appointment (Monday 7 July 2025) be:

• A member of the Bar of Northern Ireland; or
• A Solicitor of the Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland

Salary: £134,105 per annum

Opening: Friday 28 March 2025

Closing: 12 noon Monday 28 April 2025

Further information will be made available on NIJAC’s website www.nijac.gov.uk: 
https://www.nijac.gov.uk/forthcoming-opportunities-2025#:~:text=Salaried%20Legally%20Qualified%20Member%20of,about%20all%20forthcoming%20Judicial%20vacancies

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Employment Law at 11: Diversity & Inclusion Special

📅 Friday, 4th April 2025 

⏰ 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM 

💻 Online 

Join us for an Employment Law at 11 Diversity & Inclusion Special.

Regular panelist Seamus McGranaghan of O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors and Legal Island’s Christine Quinn will explore the evolving challenges in the DEI landscape.

With increasing global scrutiny and backlash against DEI initiatives, spurred on in no small part by the Trump White House, this FREE webinar will examine whether these initiatives should continue, how businesses can respond to shifting expectations, and what practical approaches can be taken in the current climate. We’ll address questions such as:

1. Should DEI initiatives continue, or is it time for a different approach?
2. How can employers in Northern Ireland sustain DEI initiatives amid global challenges?
3. How can organisations demonstrate the value of DEI to employees and stakeholders?

Bring your questions and Christine will put them to Seamus 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 Music and Apple Podcasts 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 HERE!

All of our Legal Island webinar recordings and searchable transcriptions are posted online within this section of our employment law hub and are available to stream and research:
Legal Island | Webinars and Podcasts 

You can also catch up with our webinars wherever you get your Podcasts - Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. 

Enjoy the weekend and happy (early) April Fools!

Legal-Island