112G.—(1) An employer to whom an application under Article 112F is made—
(a)shall deal with the application in accordance with regulations made by the Department, and
(b)shall only refuse the application because he considers that one or more of the following grounds applies—
(i)the burden of additional costs,
(ii)detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand,
(iii)inability to re-organise work among existing staff,
(iv)inability to recruit additional staff,
(v)detrimental impact on quality,
(vi)detrimental impact on performance,
(vii)insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes to work,
(viii)planned structural changes, and
(ix)such other grounds as the Department may specify by regulations.
(2) Regulations under paragraph (l)(a) shall include—
(a)provision for the holding of a meeting between the employer and the employee to discuss an application under Article 112F within twenty-eight days after the date the application is made;
(b)provision for the giving by the employer to the employee of notice of his decision on the application within fourteen days after the date of the meeting under sub-paragraph (a);
(c)provision for notice' under sub-paragraph (b) of a decision to refuse the application to state the grounds for the decision;
(d)provision for the employee to have a right, if he is dissatisfied with the employer's decision, to appeal against it within fourteen days after the date on which notice under sub-paragraph (b) is given;
(e)provision about the procedure for exercising the right of appeal under sub-paragraph (d), including provision requiring the employee to set out the grounds of appeal;
(f)provision for notice under sub-paragraph (b) to include such information as the regulations may specify relating to the right of appeal under sub-paragraph (d);
(g)provision for the holding, within fourteen days after the date on which notice of appeal is given by the employee, of a meeting between the employer and the employee to discuss the appeal;
(h)provision for the employer to give the employee notice of his decision on any appeal within fourteen days after the date of the meeting under sub-paragraph (g);
(i)provision for notice under sub-paragraph (h) of a decision to dismiss an appeal to state the grounds for the decision;
(j)provision for a statement under sub-paragraph (c) or (i) to contain a sufficient explanation of the grounds for the decision;
(k)provision for the employee to have a right to be accompanied at meetings under sub-paragraph (a) or (g) by a person of such description as the regulations may specify;
(l)provision for postponement in relation to any meeting under sub-paragraph (a) or (g) which a companion under sub-paragraph (k) is not available to attend;
(m)provision in relation to companions under sub-paragraph (k) corresponding to Article 12(6) and (7) of the Employment Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (NI 9) (right to paid time off to act as companion, etc.);
(n)provision, in relation to the rights under sub-paragraphs (k) and (l), for the application (with or without modification) of Articles 13 to 15 of the Employment Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (provisions ancillary to right to be accompanied under Article 12 of that Order).
(3) Regulations under paragraph (1)(a) may include—
(a)provision for any requirement of the regulations not to apply where an application is disposed of by agreement or withdrawn;
(b)provision for extension of a time limit where the employer and employee agree, or in such other circumstances as the regulations may specify;
(c)provision for applications to be treated as withdrawn in specified circumstances.
(4) The Department may by order amend paragraph (2).]