The Top 5 stories worth your coffee break: 

1. DEI’s stuck in a rut — time for L&D to drive the change 🚀
2. Rigid office-first models could cost you and productivity is down by 25% 📉
3. WRC hearing derailed when a witness dialled in from a noisy train 🚆
4. Office romance turning into an HR saga? The Employment Law Hub’s got you ❤️‍🔥
5. Minister unveils bold new WRC strategy for 2025–2027 📘

And in other news... your colleague’s stylish new specs might be secretly livestreaming your lunch break to the cloud, raising some serious eyebrow—and data protection—concerns at work Read more here. 👀

**If you have any difficulties accessing the article or resetting your password (if you haven’t already done so in 2025) please email hub@legal-island.com and we’ll be in touch with you as soon as possible.**

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Romance in the Workplace
4. Return to the Office
5. Economic Outlook
6. Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
7. Immigration
8. Data Protection
9. Minister Launches WRC Strategy Statement 2025-2027
10. Just In Case You Missed It....
11. HR Developments
12. Employment News in the Media

A HR and Business Manager v A Company [2025]

Summary: A HR and Business Manager was constructively dismissed after being demoted, undermined, and subjected to a flawed grievance process lacking independence and fair procedures.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

•  Avoid actions that create suspicion or undermine employee confidence, such as sharing unfounded allegations or ambiguous performance concerns. Internal notes discussing termination strategies should never be visible or created casually, as they may irreparably damage trust and suggest a predetermined outcome.
  
  
• Ensure where a grievance is lodged against senior staff, the investigation must be independent and perceived as impartial. Don’t appoint individuals with prior involvement in the dispute to oversee the process and clearly communicate the appeal structure.
  
  
• Ensure structured appraisals with supporting evidence and advance notice. Vague, unsupported allegations can appear retaliatory and may expose the employer to risk. Fair warning and an opportunity to respond are essential before any role change or demotion.
  

Read the full Review here: 
A HR and Business Manager v A Company [2025]

Fiona Carroll v ISS Ireland Ltd. ADJ-00054909

Summary: Employee was found to have been unfairly dismissed due to a procedurally flawed and unjust disciplinary process.

Practical Guidance for Employers:

• Employers operating in environments such as hospitality must ensure that internal complaint procedures are clearly defined, consistently applied, and prioritise early, informal resolution wherever possible. Allegations between colleagues should be addressed promptly and transparently, with written complaints disclosed in full to the person concerned.
   
  
• Investigations must follow natural justice, including timely notification of allegations, opportunity to respond, and impartial oversight. Suspending an employee should be a last resort, not a default action, and only where there is a clear risk to the business or investigation. 
  
  
• All steps taken should be documented, proportionate, and in line with policy. Employers should ensure that disciplinary processes are distinct from investigatory roles, and that decisions are based on verifiable facts rather than vague claims or hearsay. Finally, staff must be afforded the right to appeal, and that right must be clearly communicated and honoured in accordance with policy timeframes.
  

Read the full Review here:
Fiona Carroll v ISS Ireland Ltd. [2025]

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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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Opinion: The AI bias problem hasn’t gone away you know

In his regular column, Jonathan McCrea, an avid user of AI himself, advocates for not handing over decision-making to the machine. Catch up.

PayPal to create 100 jobs at new AI and fraud centre in Dublin

Payments company PayPal has announced the creation of 100 data science roles at its Dublin office. The expansion is linked to the establishment of a new AI and fraud data science centre. PayPal said it is continuing to evolve its Dublin site beyond its roots as a customer service hub into a centre for innovation. RTÉ has more.

Battle of the Workplace LLMs ChatGPT v Copilot – and the Winner by a Mile Is…?

This week Barry Phillips considers the importance of the announcement that OpenAI is now in partnership with the UK Government.

You can also access the episode here.

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Office Romances & HR Headaches? The Employment Law Hub Can Help

If this happened in your workplace — would you know what to do?

You’ve probably seen the viral moment from the Coldplay concert last week — the so-called “Coldplay Kiss” that caught a CEO and HR manager in an intimate moment on the stadium’s kiss cam. Both were from the same company. Both were married. Both were senior leaders. It quickly turned into a full-blown media storm, ending with the CEO resigning and the HR lead placed on leave.

But what if this happened in your organisation? Would you know the correct procedure to follow? Would your team be equipped to investigate? Could you defend a dismissal if challenged?

To support HR professionals facing situations like this, we set out below a selection of expert guidance and practical resources from the Employment Law Hub.

Romance in the Workplace 

Guidance on how to handle office romances is a perennial question for HR teams. This article from our How Do I Handle It? series is highly relevant to situations involving relationships at work — whether they're discreet or public.
By Jennifer Cashman, Partner and Claire Macken, Senior Associate, RDJ LLP. Read now.

Investigations & Dismissals 

Guidance on how to run workplace investigations by Caroline Reidy, HR Suite. Read now  

Unfair Dismissal for Misconduct: Case Law Review 

Read about an interesting Labour Court case dealing with dismissal and whether it is a proportionate sanction in all the circumstances. Article by Dermot Casserly, Partner and Head of Employment, Walkers (formerly Partner with DWF Ireland LLP when article was drafted) and Leah Traynor, Solicitor, RDJ LLP (formerly Trainee Solicitor at DWF Ireland LLP when article was drafted). Read now. 

Constructive Dismissal 

How do you mitigate the risk of a constructive dismissal claim when an employee resigns? Dr Gerry McMahon, Productive Personnel Ltd provides you with the guidance you need in his How To series. Read now. 

Astronomer CEO resigns after Coldplay concert embrace – should firms set boundaries on workplace relationships?

Viral video, which appears to show US tech CEO hugging company’s HR chief, raises questions over how organisations should handle office romances. Although the incident may seem like a private matter, relationships between colleagues can create problems for businesses, particularly if they involve a senior member of the organisation.  People Management looks at actions HR can take to mitigate risk. Access the article here. 

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Return to office: a power grab masquerading as policy

Let’s stop pretending return-to-office mandates are about collaboration. They’re not about team culture or innovation. They’re about control. Executives who built their power on parking passes, proximity, and title inflation are demanding a return to rituals that reinforce their relevance. What we’re witnessing isn’t a strategy, it’s a cultural counterattack from a generation that feels left behind. Michael Dunn shares his views with the Irish Examiner.

25% drop in productivity in rigid office-first models, report shows

A new report reveals a 25% drop in productivity for staff who work rigidly in the office compared to those on flexible hybrid setups. Over 1,000 white-collar workers across Ireland and the UK were surveyed as part of the search carried out by LAMPartnership. The study shows that millennials, those aged between 29 and 44 are thriving in a hybrid model, with 52% strongly agreeing that they do their best work, RTE reports.

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Rising costs, access to finance and tariffs are Irish SMEs biggest worries

Irish SMEs face mounting risks from rising input costs, restricted access to finance, and tariffs, according to the SBCI. The agency has provided over €4.5bn in funding to 63,000 businesses. Additional challenges include high energy and transport costs, skills shortages, and dependence on multinationals and US trade—28% earn a quarter of revenue from multinationals, and 40% of exporters trade with the US. Material costs (73%) and finance access (71%) rank among the top concerns. Business Plus has more.

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Minister Burke signs regulations to give effect to EU Directive on cutting red tape and simplifying the obligations on business in relation to corporate sustainability reporting

The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, has signed a Statutory Instrument to give legal effect in Ireland to the EU’s “Stop the Clock” Directive on Corporate Sustainability Reporting. These regulations will provide much-needed legal certainty to Irish business and will ensure that the original Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will not apply to so-called Wave 2 and Wave 3 companies for a further two years respectively, while the European Commission’s Omnibus proposal is being negotiated and agreed. More on this story here.

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Public consultation on the review of the occupations lists for employment permits

The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is undertaking a review of the Critical Skills Occupations List (CSOL) and the Ineligible Occupations List (IOL) to ensure the employment permits system continues to reflect the needs of Ireland’s labour market. Employers, industry bodies, permit users, government departments, agencies and other stakeholders are invited to take part by submitting their views before 5pm on 19 September 2025. Find out more here.

What are the most googled jobs for English-speaking immigrants across Europe?

A recent study by A4ord, a Berlin-based multicultural services platform, reveals that emergency medical technicians, social workers, and teachers are among the most popular job searches on Google by English-speaking individuals interested in working abroad. Spain leads with strong demand for EMT roles, logging nearly 100,000 monthly searches. The position of social worker ranks as the second most sought-after role across Europe, topping search results in the Netherlands, Ireland, and Lithuania. Interestingly, in Italy, the most searched job is musician -making it the only country where this creative profession leads the list. More from Euronews.

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The hidden risks of smart glasses in the workplace

Smart glasses have been around for a decade, but the technology was clunky and the glasses design overbearing. Now with the introduction of undetectable designs such as Ray-Ban Meta glasses it is almost impossible to tell if someone is wearing them.

There is a level of user innocence about what data is being collected and what happens to it. If the smart glasses are being used in a work environment, this user innocence could potentially lead to harm if employers have not thought through the implications of their use.

An employee could be routinely collecting personal data about customers or fellow employees using the smart glasses. It's difficult to know what data an employee is collecting when wearing them - and the ability to take photos and capture video (including live-streaming to social media) is privacy-intrusive and could make customers or fellow employees feel uncomfortable.

Read more about employer's obligations here. 

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The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Alan Dillon T.D., today launched the fourth Strategy Statement of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) ‘A Decade of Impact, A Future of Fair Work and Equality’. Through the newly launched Strategy Statement 2025-2027 ‘A Decade of Impact, A Future of Fair Work and Equality’ the strategic direction of the WRC must include proactive engagement with emerging labour dynamics, support for inclusive employment practices, and adaptive frameworks to maintain industrial harmony in a fast-evolving growing economy. 
Read more here.

WRC to increase accessibility to its services

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has published a new strategy statement with a target of increasing accessibility to its services. The plan, which covers 2025 to 2027, also contains pledges to strengthen compliance in high-risk sectors, improve efficiencies, and empower service user-led resolution over imposed solutions. Read here.

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What Top Recruiters Know that You Don’t (Yet)

In this MCS Lunch and Learn webinar Julie from Legal Island was joined by leading recruitment experts Ryan Calvert and Rebekah Mulligan. In this 45-minute webinar, Ryan and Rebekah share the latest trends in recruitment, exploring how organisations are addressing skills shortages, meeting the demand for flexible work, and adapting to the changing expectations of today’s candidates. From the rise of AI-assisted applications to the impact of global DEI rollbacks on local employer brands, they outline the trends that will define talent acquisition in 2025 and beyond. Didn't get to attend live? Don't worry - we have the recording for you here.

Supporting Transition: The Importance of Outplacement Following Redundancy

More than ever, organisations are being forced to make difficult decisions whether that’s due to current economic pressures, restructures, mergers, or shifts in strategic direction, redundancy is often necessary and unavoidable. Outplacement Services have become more important than ever and may even be considered an essential element of robust redundancy process, offering vital support to Team Members as the transition out of the Organisation and seek alternative employment. Read more from Caroline Reidy, HR Suite.

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DEI needs a reboot and L&D is the key

For years, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) has been framed primarily as a training problem–something to be addressed through workshops, policy updates, or annual awareness events. But what happens after the training ends? In today’s complex workplace, we need more than well-meaning intent. And that’s where L&D teams and internal coaching come in. Inclusion sticks when it’s built into how teams work, not just what they know. More from the Training Journal.

Graceful Leadership is the new style replacing command-and-control

At its core, Graceful Leadership rests on three fundamental pillars: compassion, coaching, and courage. These aren't "soft" skills, as they're sometimes dismissively labelled, but rather demanding capabilities that require significant personal development and ongoing commitment based on 3 Cs: compassion, coaching and courage. 
Business Plus looks at how this style works in practice.

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A recycling depot worker who denied grabbing his colleague by the throat and using a homophobic slur after his religious beliefs were insulted has lost his unfair dismissal claim at the WRC. Seamus Behan lost his job of 12 years as a van driver for Liberties Recycling Development and Training CLG in February of last year following the altercation with another worker just before Christmas 2023, the Irish Times reports.

Adult education tutors are to protest outside Leinster House calling on the Minister for Higher Education James Lawless to protect hundreds of teachers who are potentially facing redundancy. The Adult Education Teachers Organisation (AETO) has accused the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science of underfunding further education agency Solas. The AETO said this has led to adult education teachers all over the country being told they have no jobs to return to in September. More from RTÉ.

The WRC adjourned a hearing after a witness joined from a noisy train, making it impossible to proceed. The case involves a wage complaint by Kate Rellis against SETUSU. Key participants dialled in from transit, and the adjudicator said the setting wasn’t appropriate for a formal hearing, suggesting they should have requested a postponement. RTÉ has more here.

Karrin Breslin said she was forced to quit her job of nearly 20 years over the health impact of workplace stress due to a "toxic" work environment at a Dublin department store has won €15,800 for constructive dismissal. The WRC awarded Ms Breslin her full losses after ruling that the international lingerie brand repudiated her contract of employment by failing to address grievances about under-staffing and rostering while her health deteriorated over the course of two years. 
More from RTÉ.

Enjoy your weekend!

Legal Island

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