Employment Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Background and Policy Objectives

3. Overview

4. Commentary on Sections

   1. Industrial Tribunals

      1. Section 1: Conciliation before and after institution of proceedings

      2. Section 2: Extension of limitation periods to allow conciliation

      3. Section 3: Extended power to define “relevant proceedings” for conciliation purposes

      4. Section 4: Power to require party to proceedings to pay deposit

   2. Fair Employment Tribunal

      1. Section 5: Conciliation before and after complaint to Fair Employment Tribunal

      2. Section 6: Extension of time limit to allow conciliation

      3. Section 7: Power to require party to proceedings to pay deposit

   3. Assessment of Matters Relating to Tribunal Proceedings

      1. Section 8: Assessment of matters relating to tribunal proceedings

   4. Reviews

      1. Section 9: Review of early conciliation

      2. Section 10: Review of Section 8: assessment of matters relating to tribunal proceedings

   5. Employment Judges

      1. Section 11: Employment judges: industrial tribunals

      2. Section 12: Employment judges: Fair Employment Tribunal

   6. Protected Disclosures

      1. Section 13: Disclosures not protected unless believed to be made in the public interest

      2. Section 14: Power to reduce compensation where disclosure not made in good faith

      3. Section 15: Protected disclosures: reporting requirements

      4. Section 16: Worker subjected to detriment by co-worker or agent of employer

      5. Section 17: Extension of meaning of “worker”

   7. Zero Hours Workers

      1. Section 18: Zero hours workers

   8. Gender Pay and Disclosure of Information

      1. Section 19: Gender pay gap information

   9. Careers Guidance

      1. Section 20: Careers guidance

   10. Apprenticeships

       1. Section 21: Apprenticeships

   11. Miscellaneous

       1. Section 22: Indexation of amounts: timing and rounding

       2. Section 23: Prohibition on disclosure of information held by the Labour Relations Agency

       3. Section 24: Variation in procedures for certain orders and regulations

       4. Section 25: Statutory shared parental pay: correction of references

       5. Section 26: References to tribunal jurisdictions to which Articles 17 and 27 of the Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 apply

   12. Supplementary

       1. Section 27: Repeals

       2. Section 28: Interpretation

       3. Section 29: Commencement

5. Hansard Reports