Invest Northern Ireland Employers' Handbook
Employers' Handbook: section-by-section
Guide
The Invest Northern Ireland Employers' Handbook is your guide to employment law and good business practice. The guidance is available to download in its individual sections.
Please note: The Employer's Handbook was updated in August 2024. You'll need to refer to the online version for the latest updates if you use a hard copy.
The templates included in the appendices of each section of the Employers' Handbook are available to download and adapt for your business use - see HR documents and templates.
The basics
- Section 1: Summary of statutory employee rights (PDF, 95K)
- Section 2: Recruiting new employees (PDF, 420K)
- Section 3: Contracts of employment (PDF, 134K)
- Section 4: Working hours, rest breaks and time off (PDF, 83K)
- Section 5: Pay and benefits (PDF, 86K)
- Section 6: Health and safety (PDF, 75K)
Managing leave
- Section 7: Flexible working and part-time workers' rights (PDF, 75K)
- Section 8: Maternity leave and pay (PDF, 83K)
- Section 9: Paternity leave and pay (PDF, 71K)
- Section 10: Adoption leave and pay (PDF, 71K)
- Section 11: Shared parental leave and pay (PDF, 114K)
- Section 12: Parental leave and time off for dependants (PDF, 82K)
Managing performance
- Section 13: Effective meetings (PDF, 61K)
- Section 14: Managing employee performance (PDF, 229K)
- Section 15: Training and development (PDF, 69K)
- Section 16: Succession planning (PDF, 57K)
Managing conflict, absence, and staff welfare
- Section 17: Employee grievances (PDF, 71K)
- Section 18: Disciplinary issues and dismissal (PDF, 143K)
- Section 19: Managing absence (PDF, 154K)
- Section 20: Drugs and alcohol issues (PDF, 78K)
- Section 21: Social media, email, and internet use (PDF, 87K)
Redundancy
Labour Relations Agency's advice and guidance for employers.