The Industrial Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Conciliation

20.—(1) This Article applies in the case of industrial tribunal proceedings and claims which could be the subject of industrial tribunal proceedings—

(a) under—

(i) section 2(1) of the [1970 c. 32 (N.I.).] Equal Pay Act (Northern Ireland) 1970,

(ii) Article 63 of the [1976 NI 15.] Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, or

(iii) section 8 of the [1995 c. 50.] Disability Discrimination Act 1995;

(b) arising out of a contravention, or alleged contravention, of Article 31, 35 or 38 of the [1995 NI 12.] Trade Union and Labour Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1995;

(c) arising out of a contravention, or alleged contravention, of any of the following provisions of the Employment Rights Order—

(i) Article 26 or 27 (access to employment);

(ii) Article 40 (itemised pay statement);

(iii) Article 45,47,50(1) or 53(1) (protection of wages);

(iv) Article 60 (guarantee payments);

(v) Part VI (protection from detriment, etc. in employment);

(vi) Part VII (time off work);

(vii) Part VIII (suspension from work);

(viii) Article 124 (written statement of reasons for dismissal);

(ix) Part XI (unfair dismissal);

(x) Article 216 or 218 (handling of redundancies and protective awards);

(d) which are proceedings in respect of which an industrial tribunal has jurisdiction by virtue of Article 5, or

(e) arising out of a contravention, or alleged contravention, of a provision specified by an order under paragraph (8)(b) as a provision to which this paragraph applies.

(2) Where an application has been presented to an industrial tribunal, and a copy of it has been sent to the Agency, it is the duty of the Agency—

(a) if it is requested to do so by the person by whom and the person against whom the proceedings are brought, or

(b) if, in the absence of any such request, the Agency considers that it could act under this paragraph with a reasonable prospect of success,

to endeavour to promote a settlement of the complaint without its being determined by an industrial tribunal.

(3) Where at any time—

(a) a person claims that action has been taken in respect of which proceedings could be brought by him before an industrial tribunal, but

(b) before any application relating to that action has been presented by him a request is made to the Agency (whether by that person or by the person against whom the proceedings could be instituted) to make its services available to them,

the Agency shall act in accordance with paragraph (2) as if an application had been presented to an industrial tribunal.

(4) Where a person who has presented a complaint to an industrial tribunal under Article 145 of the Employment Rights Order (unfair dismissal) has ceased to be employed by the employer against whom the complaint was made, the Agency shall (for the purpose of promoting a settlement of the complaint in accordance with paragraph (2)) in particular—

(a) seek to promote the reinstatement or re-engagement of the complainant by the employer, or by a successor of the employer or by an associated employer, on terms appearing to the Agency to be equitable, and

(b) where the complainant does not wish to be reinstated or re-engaged, or where reinstatement or re-engagement is not practicable, and the parties desire the Agency to act, seek to promote agreement between them as to a sum by way of compensation to be paid by the employer to the complainant.

(5) Where at any time—

(a) a person claims that action has been taken in respect of which a complaint could be presented by him to an industrial tribunal under Article 145 of the Employment Rights Order (unfair dismissal), but

(b) before any complaint relating to that action has been presented by him a request is made to the Agency (whether by that person or by the employer) to make its services available to them,

the Agency shall act in accordance with paragraph (4) as if a complaint had been presented to an industrial tribunal under that Article.

(6) In proceeding under this Article the Agency shall, where appropriate, have regard to the desirability of encouraging the use of other procedures available for the settlement of grievances.

(7) Anything communicated to the Agency in connection with the performance of its functions under this Article shall not be admissible in evidence in any proceedings before an industrial tribunal, except with the consent of the person who communicated it to the Agency.

(8) The Department may by order—

(a) direct that further provisions of the Employment Rights Order be added to the list in paragraph (1)(c),

(b) specify any other statutory provision as a provision to which paragraph (1)(e) applies.

(9) This Article does not apply in respect of any period during which, by virtue of Article 11(5), an industrial tribunal may not proceed under the Employment Rights Order.