Thursday, 20 March 2025
09:15 - 16:30 (7 hrs)
Online
Are we ever truly in the office anymore? From remote working to flexible schedules and the perennial HR headache of absence management, the workplace has transformed—and so have the legal complexities. Join us for an insightful event where we’ll guide you through the evolving legal landscape to help you effectively navigate absence management (short and long-term sickness absence), remote and flexible working and all the issues that come along with them.
As an HR professional, you are at the forefront of balancing operational needs with employee rights, all while staying compliant with Ireland’s ever-changing legal framework. This will be an engaging and practical event that will unpack the latest legislation, key case studies, and actionable strategies to effectively manage out-of-office scenarios. Don’t miss this opportunity to ensure your workplace policies and practices are not only compliant but also supportive and sustainable in today’s dynamic work environment.
Join us for the next in the series of Legal Answers to HR Dilemmas. From remote working to family leave, flexible working to sickness the modern world of work means HR teams are grappling with multiple work patterns and ways of engaging.
Our expert panel of legal professionals will guide you through the intricate maze of employment law in these areas, offering practical solutions, best practices, and legal insights to help you navigate these complex waters with confidence while ensuring your organisation stays legally compliant and reducing the risk of costly employment litigation and consuming valuable senior management resources.
HR professionals, line managers and anyone else within an organisation with responsibility for invoking company policies and procedures, risk assessment, compliance and governance, including those who manage, advise and/or make decisions regarding employment contracts, probation periods, performance, misconduct, redundancy, dismissal etc.
Discover practical solutions to some of the most challenging HR dilemmas facing organisations in Northern Ireland today. This must-attend event will cover remote and flexible working, managing sickness and absence, and balancing work-life boundaries. Gain valuable insights from leading experts, helping you tackle legal and HR complexities with confidence and keep your organisation compliant and resilient.
If you are dealing with these types of HR dilemmas day in and day out at work and are confused with the ever-evolving landscape of Northern Irish employment law, this event is for YOU. You will obtain the clarity and confidence you need to effectively perform your role. Mishandling of HR scenarios can lead to lengthy employment litigation, reputational damage, and significant financial liabilities for an organisation. Let us guide you on the law and best practices so you will leave feeling confident and reassured that the procedure and process you follow are legally watertight.
By attending this event, you will get the opportunity to focus and ask questions on specific complex scenarios that come across your desk every day that potentially carry a lot of legal risk (some you may not even be aware of!). The event will help you proactively mitigate those risks by understanding what the common mistakes are; how to avoid them and integrate best practice into your organisation so you can sleep soundly at night!
Here's what to expect over the 2 half days...
Get to Know Us: Familiarise yourself with the functions of our online event to ensure you maximise return on your investment. Christine Quinn from Legal Island’s Knowledge Team welcomes delegates to our event.
The shift to remote and flexible working has reshaped Northern Ireland’s workplaces, creating complex HR dilemmas. As hybrid and flexible models become the norm, leaders face challenges around fairness, productivity, and managing competing work arrangements.
This session, led by Ian McFarland, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland, will address key HR and legal issues businesses face in this new landscape, offering practical solutions for navigating both remote and flexible working arrangements. Ian will answer all your dilemmas including:
Managing sickness and absence in the workplace can be particularly complex when employees are dealing with physical, mental health, or neurodivergent conditions. Employers must balance their legal obligations with the need to maintain a fair and productive environment. This session will explore the challenges and legal considerations associated with sickness and absence management for these employees.
Jason Elliott BL answers your dilemmas including:
In today’s fast-paced work environment, the line between professional and personal life is often blurred, creating complex challenges for both employers and employees. From workaholic bosses emailing at all hours to social media posts that contradict sick leave claims, managing this balance requires careful consideration of boundaries, expectations, and fairness. This session will explore how HR can effectively address these dilemmas while maintaining a healthy work culture.
Ian McFarland, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland answers your dilemmas on clashes between work and personal life including:
With rapid changes in employment law in GB, and uncertainties surrounding Northern Ireland’s ‘Good Jobs’ Bill, sticking to the status quo might feel like the safest option – but is it? HR faces mounting pressure to navigate changes to family-friendly rights, carer’s leave, and domestic abuse leave. At the same time, HR is tasked with meeting ever-growing business demands.
Led by Jason Elliott BL, this session will offer practical insights into navigating changes and balancing compliance with innovative HR strategies. Key questions we’ll explore include:
This highly engaging session invites attendees to work together on a comprehensive case study featuring a mix of dilemmas from throughout the day.
Guided by Ian McFarland, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland, attendees will:
This is your chance to put your questions to Ian McFarland, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland and employment law barrister Jason Elliott BL!
Got a tricky question of your own? Drop us a line before the event and we will put it to the experts – gosia@legal-island.com
Here's what some of our previous attendees have to say about Legal Answers to HR Dilemmas.
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.
Ian is a Partner in Eversheds Sutherland's Belfast Employment Law team. He has over 10 years of knowledge and expertise in employment law, particularly in complex matters for high-profile clients. Ian's work since the onset the pandemic has been varied and often urgent, including significant collective redundancy exercises (affecting 500+ employees) and all associated issues, advice in relation to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and hybrid/home working arrangements.
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