Top 5 reads with your morning coffee ☕

1. Pay Transparency: EU publish step-by-step toolkit
2. Migrant workers facing widespread rights breaches
3. NI to offer paid leave after miscarriage
4. Labour Court reverses WRC sick pay decision
5. WRC orders employer to pay €140,000 for a 'sham' redundancy

And in other news…got a dreaded DSAR sitting on your desk, head in the sand & feeling overwhelmed? Join the Skill Builder for HR masterclass on 16th April with legal experts from A&L Goodbody. We’ve got you covered 😮‍💨

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Mastering DSARs in Practice
4. Pay Transparency
5. 'Widespread' breaches of employment rights for migrant workers – report
6. Cost of Living
7. Paying employees on termination: Lessons for sports clubs and businesses
8. Government to scrap 'red tape' for SMEs involved in the defence sector
9. EDI
10. Labour Court reverses WRC sick pay decision
11. Staff turnover rate in early childcare 'unsustainable' – ECI
12. Just In Case You Missed It....
13. HR Developments
14. Employment News in the Media
15. Health and Safety Developments

Ozren Tisma v Mac Plant & Civils Ltd ADJ-00059515

Summary: The Unfair Dismissals Act did not apply to the employee due to insufficient length of service.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

• Be aware that the Unfair Dismissals Acts generally require an employee to have at least one year’s continuous service before bringing a claim for unfair dismissal. However, this qualifying period does not remove the need for employers to manage dismissals carefully. Even where an employee has short service, disputes can still arise under other legislation such as the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Acts, equality legislation, or the Payment of Wages Act. 
  
  
• Ensure that job roles and duties are clearly outlined at the outset of employment. Where employees are asked to perform additional or different tasks, particularly in safety-sensitive environments such as construction sites, the rationale for those duties should be explained and proper safety procedures followed. 
  
  
• Keep accurate employment records, including start dates, role descriptions, and any disciplinary or dismissal decisions. These records can be crucial where preliminary jurisdictional issues arise before adjudicative bodies.

Read the full Review here.

Inguna Bluzmane v Shaws & Sons Limited ADJ-00055994

Summary: WRC found that the redundancy was genuine and that the selection process had been applied fairly.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

• Ensure that any redundancy process is based on a genuine business need and that the reason for the redundancy can be clearly explained and evidenced. Decisions such as store closures, restructuring, or reductions in workforce should be supported by documented business reviews. 
  
  
• Apply objective and transparent criteria. Selection matrices are commonly used and should be developed carefully to ensure that they assess relevant factors such as skills, experience and operational needs. Where a selection process has been agreed with a trade union or employee representatives, it is essential that the employer follows that. 
  
  
• Consider whether suitable alternative employment exists within the organisation before confirming redundancy. Employees should be informed of any available vacancies and given a reasonable opportunity to apply for them. Maintain accurate records of consultation meetings, selection criteria, and redeployment discussions.
  

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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US appeals court fines lawyers $30,000 in latest AI-related sanction

An appeal containing fake case citations that misrepresent the law can be dismissed as frivolous, a U.S. federal appeals court panel said in a decision sanctioning ​two attorneys who submitted filings that bore hallmarks of artificial intelligence "hallucinations." Reuters reports that the sanctions decision comes as more courts grapple with fake case citations and other errors attributable to generative artificial intelligence platforms, which sometimes fabricate information. Lawyers are not prohibited from using AI tools but are bound to safeguard the accuracy of their submissions, and dozens of attorneys have been sanctioned in recent years for submitting AI-generated ​material that they failed to vet.

The WRC and the Labour Court have recently issued guidance on the use of AI. 

Read these guidelines here:

Guidance on the use of AI tools to prepare material for submission to the WRC

Guidance on the use of AI for parties appearing before the Labour Court

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

The Holy Grail of Workplace Efficiency — Have We Finally Found It?

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

Listen on 🎧 Spotify or Apple Podcasts

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

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📅Thursday 16th April 2026
⏰12:30 - 14:00 ( 1 hour 30 mins )
📍Online

Part of the Skill Builder for HR series, this 90-minute practical session is designed for HR professionals managing diverse ways of working across their organisations. Join expert employment lawyer Chris Ryan, Senior Associate at A&L Goodbody, alongside Irina Vasile, Senior Associate in the firm’s technology team and an “Associate to Watch” in Chambers for Europe 2026 Guide, for a compelling session that brings together two specialist perspectives on one of the most demanding and high-risk issues organisations face today: handling data subject access requests. More here.

Legal Island Employment Law Hub Members receive two FREE Skill builder places*

*As part of their subscription - worth €315. T&Cs apply.

Find out more about all the upcoming Skill Builder for HR sessions HERE. 

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Implementation of the EU Pay Transparency Directive in Ireland: Where do things stand?

It was recently reported that the Irish government has acknowledged that the EU Pay Transparency Directive (PTD) will not be fully implemented by the deadline of 7 June 2026.  Implementation will happen “on a phased basis”. The remaining elements of the PTD are expected to be transposed by way of a Pay Transparency Bill. Details are awaited. For now, employers are continuing to prepare.  Read more from A&L Goodbody here.

EU-wide guidelines on gender-neutral job evaluation and classification: Step-by-step toolkit.

The European Institute on Gender Equality published on Thursday the EU-wide guidelines on gender-neutral job evaluation and classification: Step-by-step toolkit. This toolkit helps organisations across the EU carry out gender-neutral job evaluation and classification. It sets out practical steps to ensure jobs are assessed using objective, gender-neutral criteria. It is available here.  

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RTÉ reports the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) has warned that there are "systemic and widespread" breaches of employment rights being experienced by migrant workers across Ireland. MRCI has published a report, Tied to Exploitation: The Experience of Migrant Workers in Ireland, which includes a survey of over 1,000 employment permit holders. According to MRCI, the findings paint a deeply troubling picture where workers are routinely underpaid, overworked, harassed and denied basic rights. More here.

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Industry reacts positively to government fuel measures

Business Plus reports businesses and commentators have reacted positively to government measures to reduce fuel prices for consumers and hauliers worth around €240m. The price of diesel has risen to more than €2.10 per litres at some filling stations while petrol is close to €2, having risen substantially since the conflict in the Middle East began. Read here.

ICTU: Flexibility from employers needed in response to fuel prices pressure 

Irish Congress of Trade Unions general secretary Owen Reidy has called on employers to facilitate more work from home in jobs that can be done remotely and offer compressed hours or flexitime for jobs that cannot. Reidy also said: “The Government, as one of the largest employers in the State, needs to lead by example. That means facilitating remote and flexible working arrangements for civil and public servants, and paying the higher mileage rates to frontline workers using their own cars to deliver essential services in the community.”

You can read the full statement here.

SIPTU General Secretary warns cost-of-living crisis will impact wage negotiations

SIPTU General Secretary, John King, has warned that the added cost-of-living increases, resulting from the crisis in the Middle East, will mean additional pressure for wage increases in negotiations with employers across the public and private sectors of the economy. More here.

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Employers in Ireland are required to pay employees all wages owed to them on termination of their employment. A failure to pay will be deemed an unlawful deduction. Due to an increase in claims brought against sports clubs and other organisations in the sports sector, Mason, Hayes & Curran Sports Law team examines recent Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) decisions that illustrate how the law applies in practice. Find out more. 

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A law that currently requires the Government to give approval before the IDA and Enterprise Ireland can assist Irish SMEs who may be involved in the defence sector is to be scrapped by the Minister for Enterprise. The Enterprise Minister is proposing to delete s.8(5) of the Science & Technology Act 1987, which currently requires the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to secure Government approval prior to engaging or supporting Irish SMEs who may be involved in the defence sector. The Journal has more. 

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2026 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Funding Call

The 2026 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Funding Call is an important element in supporting the implementation of the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II 2024-2028. €1,500,000 is being made available to applicant groups, operating at national, regional and local level, to support community services and promote visibility and inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people to promote inclusion, protect rights and to improve quality of life and wellbeing for LGBTIQ+ people in Ireland. You can read the full press release here.

Northern Ireland to become first part of UK or Ireland to offer paid leave after miscarriage

Northern Ireland is set to become the first part of the UK or Ireland to offer paid leave to parents affected by miscarriage. The new entitlement will include the right to two weeks of paid leave and is set to come into effect from 6 April. More from the Journal. 

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The Labour Court has overturned a WRC award under the Sick Leave Act 2022, confirming that employers with more favourable sick pay schemes are exempt from statutory sick pay. As the first successful appeal under the Act, the Employment Law & Benefits team at Mason, Hayes & Curran outlines what this means for employers. Read here.

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More than half of Irish adults (57%) do not think that the Government is doing enough to address the acute shortage of early years places for children nationwide according to a Red C poll conducted on behalf of Early Childhood Ireland (ECI). RTÉ has more. 

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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.....

Pay Transparency: Preparing for Equal Pay and Compliance in Ireland

Pay transparency is transforming how organisations approach fairness, recruitment and reward. With new EU rules imminent, understanding these changes now is essential to ensure compliance and build equitable workplaces. Read more from Caroline Reidy, Head of HR Solutions, NFP. 

How to: Get Recruitment, Selection and the Law Right

Recent cases highlight unlawful recruitment practices, with significant compensation awarded. Employers must adopt structured, objective and non-discriminatory selection processes to ensure fairness, legal compliance and effective hiring decisions. Dr. Gerry McMahon, MD, Productive Personnel Ltd, explains. 

Duncan's Case Law Reviews

Duncan Inverarity, Former Partner & Head of Employment at A&L Goodbody LLP reviews the most important case law relevant for Irish employers from the past year. Keep an eye out on our Hub every week for a new update. This week he is discussing the case:

Hanley v PBR Restaurants LTD trading as Fish Shack Café IEHC 662

In this case, the Operations Manager challenged redundancy as a sham. Labour Court rejected claim on employment status and jurisdiction. High Court found legal errors, broadened scope, and ordered a fresh Labour Court hearing.

Read the full case review here.

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Working when the clocks go forward: how should employers handle losing an hour?

The clocks go forward an hour at 1:00am GMT on Sunday 29 March 2026. But what does this mean for staff working a night shift? How does it affect their pay? Can they go home at the usual time, even though they have worked less time? Personnel Today provides guidance here. 

How to use employee networks to shape benefits strategy

Employee networks and resource groups are a common feature in many organisations. These typically provide support that covers working parents and carers, neurodiversity, disability, mental health and women’s health issues, among others.  These groups offer employees access to like-minded colleagues who share specific challenges and experiences that they can relate to, helping them to feel less alone and find support. This can also benefit employers by providing insights into what help different workforce demographics may need, shaping benefits strategies at the same time. Employee Benefits explains. 

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The High Court has set aside the defendants' joinder of three executives at an HR software company in a lawsuit claiming it used an Irish "spy" to steal trade secrets from a rival firm. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey said an application to set aside the joining of the three Deel Inc executives was well founded and he would make the order. The case arose when the rival, People Centre Inc, trading as Rippling Ireland Ltd, issued High Court proceedings last year, claiming that one of its Dublin-based executives, Keith O’Brien, was induced by US-headquartered Deel to disclose sensitive company information. More from Breaking news. 

The Labour Court has ordered the Dublin Business School to pay €104,000 compensation to a lecturer after he was unfairly dismissed for logging into his college email account from Iran. In February 2023, the Dublin Business School (DBS) sacked Amir Sajad Esmaeily for gross misconduct after it concluded that "unauthorised access to his college emails whilst abroad amounted to a serious breach of college policy". RTÉ has more.

The Irish Times reports a cancer patient who claimed her employer of 20 years cut her hours because it no longer wanted her as the “face” of the business after she was treated for a tumour which affected her appearance has won €20,000 for disability discrimination. The worker, Nancy Doherty, won the compensation on foot of a complaint against Figary Water Sports Development Company Ltd to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) under the Employment Equality Act 1998. More here. 

A HSE internal audit has found that €2m was paid to hospital consultants to reduce waiting lists at Naas General Hospital (NGH) outside of public pay policy guidelines. The payments were made over four years from 2022 to 2025. The audit found that the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) funded payments of €1.5m directly to consultants and a further €473,320 to two companies, the directors of which are Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) consultants. You can read more on this from RTÉ.

A Dublin law firm set aside €60,000 a year to spend on Google Ads and spent tens of thousands more on website development in a failed attempt to corner the market for personal injuries litigation, a partner in the firm has told an employment tribunal. But the venture flopped after the solicitor hired to lead the digital marketing push neglected to spend the budget for months, the witness said. The witness was giving evidence at the WRC in an unfair dismissals claim brought by solicitor Joseph McNally against Ferrys Solicitors LLP, which has multiple branches in the capital handling civil and criminal work. The Irish Times has more.

RTÉ reports an American multinational has been ordered to pay over €140,000 to a veteran Irish executive after admitting to her unfair dismissal after 24 years at the firm. The Irish arm of translation and localisation multinational Lionbridge was directed to pay the losses to its former EMEA managing director, Caroline O'Connell, on foot of what her lawyer called a "sham redundancy" from her €275,000-plus-bonus post in November 2024. Read here. 

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Half of lone workers avoid tasks or locations over safety fears

Half of lone workers have avoided carrying out tasks or going to locations for work because of feeling unsafe, according to research. The poll of 2,500 workers for lone worker safety provider SoloProtect also found 56% have faced physical or verbal abuse while working alone. Aggression, environmental hazards and other occupational risks are a consistent feature of many lone-working roles, the survey also concluded. Personnel Today has more on this.

Enjoy your weekend!

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