Northern Ireland has its own system: the Labour Relations Agency rather than Acas, and Industrial Tribunals rather than Employment Tribunals.
Quick facts
- First step
- Talk to your manager informally
- Formal step
- Grievance procedure
- Before a tribunal
- Tell the Labour Relations Agency
- Time limits
- Three or six months, depending on the claim
- Free advice
- Labour Relations Agency, Advice NI
Start informally
If you believe there is a real problem, explain your concern to your immediate manager to see if you can sort it out informally. If you are a trade union member, you can contact your trade union representative for advice and support on employment issues.
Raising a grievance
Grievances are concerns, problems or complaints that employees raise with their employer. At the very least your employer must give you in writing the name of the person that you can apply to, to seek redress (put the matter right).
You have a statutory (legal) right to take a companion to the meeting with you. If you appeal, you must make your appeal in writing without unreasonable delay.
If you face a disciplinary
Your employer must put their disciplinary procedure in writing, and make it easily available to all staff. By law, at present there are certain minimum steps that must be included in a disciplinary procedure - these are known as the 'statutory minimum procedures'.
If your employer dismisses you without following this process, then if you make an unfair dismissal claim, the dismissal will normally be 'automatically unfair'. You normally need at least a year's service to bring an unfair dismissal claim.
Blowing the whistle
Blowing the whistle is more formally known as 'making a disclosure in the public interest'. To be protected, you need to make a qualifying disclosure. For your disclosure to be protected by law, you must make it to the right person and in the right way.
Early conciliation and tribunals
From 27 January 2020, if you want to lodge a claim with the Industrial or Fair Employment Tribunal, you must tell the Labour Relations Agency (LRA). You will be offered conciliation, which is voluntary.
If you make an early conciliation notification within the appropriate time limit (three or six months depending on the claim), the clock stops for up to one month while conciliation takes place.
The LRA also offers free mediation, and a free arbitration scheme that can decide nearly all the matters an Industrial Tribunal can hear. It is always up to you whether you accept a settlement.
Common questions
Do I have to contact the Labour Relations Agency before a tribunal?
Yes. Since 27 January 2020 you must tell the LRA before lodging a claim with the Industrial or Fair Employment Tribunal, and you will be offered early conciliation.
Can I bring someone to a grievance meeting?
Yes. You have a legal right to take a companion, if you ask your employer.
What happens if my employer skips the disciplinary procedure?
In Northern Ireland, a dismissal without the statutory minimum procedure will normally be automatically unfair if you claim unfair dismissal.