In the first of our Matheson Employment Law podcasts of 2025, Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, is joined by two financial services industry specialists, Enda Allen and Una Hassett, on a special episode looking at recent research on the area of executive derailment in the workplace. The discussion explored what executive derailment is, why it happens, and preventative measures to help reduce it occurring, with a particular focus on how employers can significantly benefit from a greater awareness of how executive derailment can arise and how to address it early on.

In this latest episode of the Matheson Employment Law Podcast Series, Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, is joined by fellow employment partner, Alice Duffy, on a special episode looking at AI in the workplace. In particular, Bryan and Alice discuss how AI uses may pose a risk for employers. Also discussed is the new AI Act and resources available to help employers plan for its implementation.

In this episode of the Matheson Employment Law Podcast Series, Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, reviews the Irish High Court decision of Philip Nolan and Science Foundation Ireland from last June.

This was an application for an injunction to restrain a dismissal, following an investigation into certain allegations against the plaintiff. The case, however, addressed the question of whether an employer can dismiss an employee arising out of an investigation without applying fair procedures, so long as it can show the basis for the dismissal was not misconduct. Bryan takes a look at the various employment law issues arising out of this case, including further clarification on when an employer must apply fair procedures, and whether there are circumstances where an employer is better off strategically to call out performance or other workplace issues relating to the employee, rather than take a pure no fault termination approach.

In this episode of the Matheson Employment Law Podcast Series, Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, takes a detailed look at the recently published Workplace Relations Commission Code of Practice on the Right to Request Remote and Flexible Working, what exactly it provides for and what this means for employers. Bryan also reviews a recent decision from the WRC which now sets the record for the highest unfair dismissal award granted by the WRC since it was first established in 2015 at €440,000.

In this episode of the Matheson Employment Law Podcast Series Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, looks at key changes set to take place in 2024. Discussed in the episode are recent developments in regard to several key areas of employment law, specifically changes in the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act, the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wage (due to be in legislation November 2024), Statutory Sick Pay, Gender Pay Gap Reporting, national pension age and auto-enrolment, Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Act and anticipated regulation of using AI in the workplace.

In this latest episode Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, takes you through some of the latest employment law developments. He also explores the recent Irish High Court decision of Buttimer and Oak Fuels Supermarkets Limited where the High Court reconfirmed the position that an employee's right to fair procedures are not triggered where they are being terminated within their probationary period for performance related reasons or for no reason, in accordance with their employment contract (i.e. a no fault termination). Bryan also considers how an injunction works in practice and considers the implications for both employees and employers of seeking such relief.

In this episode of the Matheson Employment Law Podcast Series, Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, takes you through a recent whistleblowing penalisation claim. The existing protected disclosures framework was significantly enhanced by the recent enactment of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022 which came into effect on 1 January this year. This case, although heard under the previous legislation, illustrates how extensive the protection is for whistleblowers against acts constituting penalisation. Given the broader definition of penalisation under the 2022 Act, employers should take particular note of this case!

In this episode of the Matheson Employment Law Podcast Series, we share with you a recording of our recent webinar "Individual Accountability Framework: What actions must employers take now?". Moderated by employment partner Geraldine Carr, our specialist panel comprised of Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, Niamh Mulholland, partner, Financial Institutions Group, Susan Doris-Obando, senior associate, Employment and Majella Walsh, Head of Compliance, Europe at Scotiabank. The panel provided practical guidance for in-scope firms on the requisite actions and steps to be taken from an employment / HR perspective to ensure compliance with the obligations imposed.

In this episode of the Matheson Employment Law Podcast Series, we share with you a recording of our recent Knowledge Insights series webinar "Employment Law 2023 - The Year Ahead". Key legal developments and themes explored included the new recently enacted Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Regulations 2022, the current status of the legislation introducing new rights in respect of requesting remote and flexible working arrangements and additional statutory leave periods. In addition, we focussed on new legislative developments which continue to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace including an overview of the proposed EU Pay Transparency Directive which is coming down the tracks as well as an overview of the actions employers should take now to narrow any Gender Pay Gap identified. Lastly, we looked at the new obligations on employers in managing whistleblowing complaints under the Protected Disclosure (Amendment) Act 2022.

In this episode Bryan Dunne, Head of Employment, takes you through some of the most recent employment law developments in Irish law, covering current trends on preparing for the gender pay gap reporting, the pending changes to the protective disclosures legislation, the new statutory sick pay legislation and progress on the right to request remote working legislation. Bryan also looks at a recent decision from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Flynn V Iarnród Éireann, involving an unfair dismissal claim by an employee after he was given a four year prison sentence.