Equality & Diversity in Ireland
An employee says she was racially harassed by a senior manager, and submits a lengthy grievance. An ex-employee brings an Employment Tribunal claim, saying he was forced to resign by a colleague who told him his sexual orientation offended his religion.
Your Board asks whether you have conducted an equal pay audit, and if not whether you should. You need to overhaul your diversity policies and training programmes.
Who do you turn to?
Our team has unrivalled strength in depth in advising on all issues related to equality and diversity, which include some of the most important and challenging on the HR and legal agenda today. These include:
- litigation for discrimination based on sex (including equal pay), pregnancy / maternity, race, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation and associated claims for harassment and victimisation
- Advice on any issue with an equality / diversity angle, such as handling the exit of a persistent poor performer with a suspected disability, complex grievances, and redundancy dismissals impacting maternity leavers
- Advice on “family friendly” matters: policies on maternity, paternity, adoption and parental leave and pay; requests for flexible working; time off for dependants; and issues around surrogacy and IVF
- Equal pay is gaining a higher profile, and mandatory gender pay gap reporting is on the horizon. In addition to our experience in dealing with complex equal pay disputes, our UK teamhelp clients conduct equal pay reviews and audits and manage the associated (and significant) legal risks, and can assist in complying with pay gap reporting obligations
- Our dedicated training team is experienced in conducting manager training on equal opportunities, diversity, family rights and flexible working, and training for all staff on their equality obligations. This can have an exclusively Irish focus, or where desired we can make this relevant for cross-border workforces
Related items
The role of immigration law in advancing DE&I initiatives in global mobility
17 November 2023Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives are no longer just buzzwords but are becoming essential elements of success for companies in all industries. Companies are recognising the value of diverse talent and the need to promote equitable opportunities in their global operations. Immigration law is a cornerstone of the legal framework and can play a pivotal role in shaping the demographic composition of a company.
What's happening in employment law in Ireland in 2023
05 January 2023The whirlwind of workplace and employment law developments we saw in 2022 is set to continue with multiple proposals for reform in the pipeline, including requirements on employers to deal with flexible and remote work requests, the introduction of a national living wage and other reforms flowing from the EU. Here’s our annual round-up of what to expect.
Ireland - Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019 aims to ensure compliance and enforcement
08 May 2019The measures contained in the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019 (“the Bill”), published on 4 April, show that the Irish Government is taking gender pay gap (“GPG”) reporting seriously. The Bill proposes to introduce various mechanisms, available to different groups of interested parties, designed to ensure that companies and government bodies comply with their GPG reporting obligations.