What We Learned Last Quarter - August 2023

Legal Island's Knowledge Team have collated all of the updates we sent our 1,600+ Irish Employment Law Hub subscribers in Q3 2023. Every few months, we update you with some of the key developments in employment law and HR affecting the Irish workplace in the quarter. We cover all of the updates for June, July and August 2023 below. Grab a cuppa, sit back and let us inform you of the latest!

AI on the Rise

No rest for the wicked AI as it continued to dominate the headlines over the summer. Users from around the world have been testing its capabilities and its limits. Legal Island is one of those inquisitive users. We recently conducted an experiment to test the chatbot's ability to write an employment law case review.

It seems workplaces are indeed making use of it - new data from Digital Business Ireland found that almost 1 in 10 people reporting that they used the AI tool, ChatGPT for work purposes. Yes, it makes us more efficient and productive, but could our jobs be at risk? Even worse….one AI expert has even gone as far to say there is a risk of extinction of humanity and AI should be treated like a nuclear weapon! If your head is spinning from all the AI information out there, get some clarity from Legal Island…we are hosting a number of events over the next few months, including one on the 21^st September which will be a step by step guide on using AI in HR & Beyond. Keep your eyes peeled also for a number of AI introductory sessions & workshops too. More here.

WRC Developments

Despite it being summer, it was a very busy few months for the WRC. They published their 2022 Annual Report highlighting that more and more cases in WRC are being resolved with the use of mediation. Legal Island were informed of a number of useful developments at the WRC including a list of frequently cited authorities in WRC jurisprudence; table of remedies; summary information guide for practitioners and more.

We had a packed webinar in June - Behind the Scenes at the WRC’s Adjudication Service - A Sneak Peek Beyond 2023! Jennifer Cashman, Head of Employment, RDJ LLP and David Small, Director of Adjudication Services, WRC explored where the WRC is in 2023 following a turbulent few years and what it means for Irish employers. Missed the webinar? Catch up here.

And finally, figures published by the WRC show that it received almost 500 employment equality complaints in the first six months of the year. Want to brush up on your employment equality knowledge? Join us online on 18th & 19th October for an in-depth analysis of employment equality law developments with an impressive line-up of speakers, including a High Court Judge.

Legislation

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 is coming into effect piecemeal. Victims of domestic violence will receive their full pay if they need to take domestic violence leave. This domestic violence leave will be formally introduced in the autumn with the publication of regulations setting out guidance for employers, currently being developed by Women’s Aid. Workers will now be able to avail of extended breastfeeding breaks – Jennifer Cashman address how employers handle a request for a reduction in working hours in her article.

In other pieces of legislation, Bernard Martin, A&L Goodbody, provides an overview of the Pay Transparency Directive and what it means for employers. It aims to address the root causes of the gender pay gap and economic empowerment of women.

RTÉ

We couldn’t do this quarterly review without mentioning the examination of non-disclosure of payments at RTÉ and the subsequent resignation of Dee Forbes. The new Director General Kevin Bakhurst said it had created "one of the most shameful and damaging episodes in the organisation's history". The story continues to develop as we learnt this week that RTÉ staff who do not comply with disclosure obligations on the broadcaster’s new register of interests will face sanctions. Keep an eye on our Friday Round-Ups for the latest on this.

Looking Ahead

If you didn’t already hear, Legal Island turned 25 in June - happy birthday to us! We will continue providing a high-quality service and we have exciting events coming up in the next few months, including our ROI Annual Review of Employment Law on 29th November!  Join us for the HR event of the year, a hybrid event at the Dublin Convention Centre where you can join us in person or live online. We have an exciting line up of expert speakers on a wide range of topics on issues such as restructuring, gender identity, bullying and harassment, neurodiversity and much more!  Check out the programme here.

Just as leaves fall, HR professionals are gearing up for a bustling period ahead. The upcoming months promise a flurry of activities but remember we’re always here as a helpful resource for when your day isn’t all autumn skies and pumpkin pies….happy September!