Employment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 Explanatory Notes

Overview

16.The Act:

  • leaves intact the statutory regime for disciplinary and dismissal situations whilst moving to a less legalistic framework for the raising of workplace grievances involving voluntary compliance with the appropriate Labour Relations Agency Code of Practice;

  • repeals provisions linking grievance and disciplinary/dismissal processes with industrial tribunal and Fair Employment Tribunal time limits;

  • enables the Labour Relations Agency to exercise greater discretion in offering its assistance to resolve disputes and repeals time restrictions on the period of Labour Relations Agency conciliation;

  • amends industrial tribunals’ powers to reach a determination without a hearing;

  • modifies industrial tribunals’ powers to restrict publicity;

  • provides that tribunal awards, once registered, are enforceable without the need to obtain a court order, and makes similar provision in relation to conciliated settlements reached with the assistance of the Labour Relations Agency;

  • enables the Fair Employment Tribunal to hear aspects of fair employment cases that would previously have necessitated a separate industrial tribunal hearing;

  • introduces the legislative framework for a right to request time to train.

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