5 Fast Reads: 

1. GenAI in the High Court: New Rules 🤖
2. Labour Court 2025: The Key Takeaways 🔎
3. Domestic Violence Leave: How Much Information Can Employers Request? 🤔
4. Settlement Agreements: ROI v GB ⚖️
5. Pregnancy Dismissal: Why WRC Engagement Matters 🤰

And in other news.......the heat is turning up the temperature at work too, with hot headed managers, short tempered colleagues and teams running increasingly low on patience, energy and possibly air conditioning! Read more from HR Director.🥵

Don’t miss your free subscriber perk! 🎁 You’ve got 2 FREE places at our Autumn Skill Builder for HR sessions, including Workplace Coaching Skills and Leading Change Effectively. Use your perk and book your place here!

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Skill Builder for HR: Workplace Coaching Skills
4. The Labour Court's Annual Report 2025: Key takeaways
5. Comparison of settlement agreements: ROI v GB
6. Differences between US and Irish employment law
7. Q2 2026 employment law update: What you might have missed
8. Domestic violence leave – How much information can employers request?
9. Hot weather, hot tempers – workplaces are running a little too warm
10. Government accused major employers of trying to dodge new pension scheme
11. Just In Case You Missed It....
12. HR Developments
13. Employment News in the Media
14. Health and Safety Developments
15. Free Webinars This Month

Sharon Darcy v Project Fashion Project Fashion ADJ-00058135

Summary: Cumulative workplace failings marginally established constructive dismissal claim.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

• Issue every employee with a written contract and clear statement of terms at the commencement of employment. The contract should identify duties, pay, hours, reporting lines and applicable grievance procedures.
  
  
• Investigate complaints about safety, training, bullying, workload and pay promptly. Roles involving children require documented risk assessments, appropriate first-aid and manual-handling training, emergency procedures and competent staffing. Employers should not rely on informal practices where health, safety or employee wellbeing is concerned.
  
  
• Communicate consistently about pay and return-to-work arrangements. Any proposed increase should be confirmed in writing and expressly identified as firm, conditional or subject to approval. Where an employee signals an intention to resign, the employer should invite a formal grievance, explain the available procedure and allow a reasonable opportunity for resolution.

Read the full Review here.

Lorraine Gunenry v Repromed Holdings Limited T/A Reproscan ADJ-00061831

Summary: Employee resigned before exhausting reasonable internal workplace remedies and constructive dismissal claim was dismissed.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

• Distinguish clearly between informal performance management and formal disciplinary action. Meeting invitations, follow-up letters and policies should state the process being used, the concerns raised and the possible outcomes.
  
  
• Address bullying complaints promptly and document the employee’s chosen course. Where an employee declines a formal investigation, the employer records that decision, explains available informal and formal options, reviews workplace risks and considers practical separation measures.
  
  
• Ensure HR maintains regular, supportive contact without acting oppressively to absent employees. Offer grievance procedures, occupational health, support and a structured return-to-work meeting.

Read the full Review here. 

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These case reviews were written by Patrick Barrett BL.

Patrick's legal education is robust, beginning with a BCL Law Degree from University College Cork (2012-2016), followed by an LL.M in Business Law from the same institution (2016-2017), and culminating in a Barrister-at-Law Degree from The Honorable Society of King’s Inns in Dublin (2019-2021). He has extensive experience on the South-West Circuit, handling Civil, Family, and Criminal Law cases, as well as advising the Citizen Advice Service.  He has worked as an employment consultant, dealing with workplace investigations and bankruptcy procedures.

Remember: Our Irish case law reviews are now held in our case law section on our fully-searchable employment law hub website.

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New High Court Practice Direction on the responsible use of GenAI in court documents

On 29 July 2026, the President of the High Court Mr Justice David Barniville issued the much-anticipated Practice Direction HC 142 on the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence in court documents, which comes into operation on 1 September 2026. Arthur Cox explains it in more detail here. 

More on this from McCann Fitzgerald here.

Fewer than one in five small firms have built AI into their business models, survey finds

Only 18 per cent of small businesses in Ireland have reported incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into most or some of their business practices, with more than half not doing so at all, a recent survey has found. More from the Irish Times.

IrishJobs: 35pc of professionals have enhanced their AI skills

Data suggests that employees are working to improve their abilities around artificial intelligence in a workplace environment being transformed by the technology. According to the report, which gathered data from more than 500 employers and nearly 1,000 professionals across Ireland, this urge to upskill in AI is being driven by a growing adoption of AI tools and technology in the workplace. Silicon Republic has more on this.

EU AI Act transparency rules are now live: are you ready?

For many businesses, these obligations will affect customer-facing AI tools and digital platforms including chatbots and marketing content generators. Organisations should consider developing product and use case intake processes into their internal governance and procurement processes to prepare for these new obligations as regulators are increasingly focused on transparency as a core compliance principle. Read more from Matheson. 

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

Hub subscribers are beginning to request that our Chairman, Barry covers a particular AI topic in a future podcast. If you have a request, send it to him directly at barry@legal-island.com - he’ll feel like a DJ from the 80s…...🎧

You can tune into the latest episode right here - or, if you’re on the move, why not take us with you?

Listen on all major platforms: 🎧 Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Simply search for “AI for HR Weekly Podcast” and enjoy expert insights anytime, anywhere.

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The Labour Court's Annual Report (the “Report”) for 2025 has recently been published. The Report marks the Court's 79th year of operation as it prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2026. Below, RDJ has highlighted some of the key statistics from the year and explore notable developments from the Report.

Read it here. 

Labour Court: appeals down but cases becoming more legally complex

Appeals to the Labour Court are down 11 per cent but there has been no reduction in workload as cases become more legally complex and require more sitting days, according to the court’s latest annual report.

The Labour Court hears appeals and referrals from the Workplace Relations Commission. The bulk of its work in 2025 was appeals of employment rights decisions, accounting for 775 of the 992 appeals received or 78 per cent. Irish Legal News has more here. 

In this article, DAC Beachcroft summarises the key considerations when drafting settlement or compromise agreements in GB and the Republic of Ireland. Although there are parallels in the way settlement works in practice, there are some key differences which employers and practitioners should be live to when drafting these agreements. 

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Key distinctions between the employment law landscape in the US and Ireland

US organisations seeking to establish or expand operations in Ireland should be aware of the key similarities and differences between employment law in the two jurisdictions. A common business perception in the United States is that European employment law is heavily weighted in favour of employees, while Irish employees may perceive the US employment law framework as being more favourable to employers. In practice, however, Irish employment law shares a number of similarities with US employment law, while also containing important differences that employers should understand from the outset.

Matheson has more here. 

Navigating US equity for Irish employees

Employee share incentive schemes are common in some sectors of the Irish economy. Having been involved in two cases which brought some much needed clarity to their status in Ireland, Mason Hayes & Curran's Employment Law & Benefits team sets out practical steps for managing employee participation in these arrangements here. 

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Mason Hayes & Curran's Employment Law & Benefits team reviews the key changes in the area of employment law for Q2 2026. In addition, they provide an overview of what employers need to know.

What you need to know:

• The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025: The Act was commenced on 29 June 2026.
  Code of Practice for Longer Working: The Code of Practice was revised to account for the changes brought in by the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025. The Code of Practice has been effective since 29 June 2026.
  
  
• The Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) (Amendment) Act 2026: Certain key sections of the Act were commenced on 6 June 2026.
  
  
• Pay transparency: The Irish Government missed the transposition deadline for the Pay Transparency Directive.
  Artificial intelligence (AI) guidance: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Labour Court and Court of Appeal have updated their guidance on the use of AI tools in preparing written submissions.
  
  
• RSU guidance: Precedent was set regarding the treatment of Restricted Share Units (RSUs) in the calculation of remuneration and/or loss under Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.
  

Read the article in full here. 

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Since the introduction of a statutory entitlement to domestic violence leave pursuant to the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, questions have arisen for employers especially concerning what information, if any, they can seek from employees to substantiate requests for this leave. While the legislation and accompanying guidance places a strong emphasis on confidentiality, a recent Workplace Relations Commission decision, addresses the circumstances in which employers can seek limited information about the request, without undermining the employee’s confidentiality. Anne O'Connell Solicitors has more here. 

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From hot-headed managers and short-tempered colleagues to teams operating with little patience and even less energy, workplace tensions appear to be rising alongside the mercury. Experts at Hogan Assessments, the global leader in workplace personality assessment and leadership development, analysing how one of Europe’s hottest summer may be exposing a growing workplace temperature problem. HR Director has more here.

Managing heat stress in Irish workplaces during summer months

The instinct is to wait for a law that sets a number. A maximum temperature, a trigger point, a threshold that tells you when to act. That law does not exist in Ireland. What does exist is a general duty under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to provide a safe place of work, which absolutely covers thermal environment, and an HSA that will hold you to it when something goes wrong. The absence of a specific number is not a loophole. It is an invitation to use your judgment, and then be judged on it. This article from Safezone sets out employer responsibilities:

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A Government paper said large companies employing thousands of people had plotted a scheme with financial advisers to push staff into pension schemes that would yield very little in return. The cynical plan was introduced late last year as the Department of Social Protection finalised plans for an auto-enrolment system for workers. Breaking News has more on this story.

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The Employment Law Hub is a comprehensive, jurisdiction-specific resource designed for HR professionals, legal advisors, and business leaders. It centralises essential employment law and HR updates, expertly curated and written by leading HR and legal specialists to provide reliable, practical, and authoritative insights. We have over 700+ in depth articles and 1000+ case law reviews. As a subscriber, you have access to all of this. Check it out the full Hub here and below are some recent articles you may have missed.....

Pregnancy Dismissal and the Importance of WRC Engagement: Mushapho v Rose Finlay Pharmacy (Tullamore) Ltd

A recent Workplace Relations Commission decision focuses on the protections afforded to pregnant employees. In Mushapho v Rose Finlay Pharmacy (Tullamore) Ltd, an Adjudication Officer found that a supervising pharmacist earning approximately €100,000 per year had been discriminatorily dismissed on grounds of pregnancy and awarded her €50,000 in compensation. Sarah Linehan, Solicitor, Employment Solicitor, EY Law Ireland has more in her article on the Hub here. 

The first 24 hours after a workplace accident

When a workplace accident occurs, HR may have to coordinate medical care, safety measures, reporting, evidence preservation and communications at once. The first 24 hours are not the time to decide liability or assign blame. The priorities are to protect people, control any continuing risk, preserve reliable information and begin a fair investigation. Read the full article by Dalippe Lalloo, Solicitor, Lalloo Solicitors here. 

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The career ladder is changing. Is your organisation keeping up?

For decades, career progression followed a familiar path: gain experience, earn a promotion and move into management. Today, that model is being redefined. As organisations flatten their structures, adopt AI and prioritise skills over hierarchy, career growth is becoming less about climbing the ladder and more about building capability. HRD Connect has more.

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The Irish Times reports up to 20 staff at the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) are set to be made redundant after the organisation announced its intention to close its medical devices testing division. Talks between management at the authority and Unite, the union representing the affected staff, are expected to take place next week.

A Donegal-based juice producer has been ordered to pay €14k in compensation to an individual after the WRC found his dismissal under the guise of ‘gross misconduct’ was merely a product of “naïve” actions. The basis for Sterling Taylor’s dismissal stemmed from his purchase of a drill and one-and-a-half kegs of Guinness Zero. In both instances, the products were bought by Mr Taylor via a company account where he did not have to pay Vat on the product. The Irish Examiner has more.

RTÉ reports Fórsa union members at Oberstown Children Detention Campus took part in an eight-hour work stoppage on Tuesday. The action, which took place from 9am to 5pm, was due to a continuing dispute over resourcing and safe staffing at the campus. It is the second in a series of planned weekly work stoppages, with further stoppages to take place on 18 August and 25 August.

A worker in Australia has been banned from using AI to draft “accusatory” complaints against her employer, in what has been described as an “unprecedented” move. The Fair Work Commission, Australia’s national workplace relations tribunal, has ruled that the Queensland caretaker, Deidre de Bruyn, should not continue to use AI to generate complaints against her employer because they were so “lengthy, wide-ranging, replete with generalisations, repetitive, and often couched in accusatory language”. More from Personnel Today.

Irish Tiktok staff who were warned that their roles were at risk in the company’s latest restructuring have now been formally offered termination agreements, following a consultation process. It’s understood that the total number of people being laid off remains close to what TikTok proposed last month, with around 300 people to be out of a job come the end of this month. More from the Journal.

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Gender equality and workplace psychosocial risks

Gender can influence both the psychosocial risks to which workers are exposed and the way in which these risk factors affect them. The concentration of women and men in different sectors and positions within organisational hierarchies can limit career paths, directing women and men towards distinct roles with gender-specific psychosocial risks. How workers are affected by these risks also varies; for example, women report more work-related mental health issues than men. This article from OSHwiki offers recommendations for policymakers, employers and OSH professionals.

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Missed our webinar? Catch up on demand: New Rules on Retirement Age, What Employers Need to Know

Sponsored by HRLocker

Ireland's new contractual retirement age framework is now in force, bringing significant changes for employers.

In this webinar, Laura McKee from Legal Island is joined by Anne O'Connell of Anne O'Connell Solicitors to explain what the new rules mean in practice, including retirement procedures, employee requests to work beyond retirement age, and the steps employers should take now.

Watch the recording HERE.

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