What We Do

Employee Relations

Conducting Investigations Toolkit

The Conducting Investigations Toolkit was created to provide guidance to staff who are undertaking the role of an investigating officer in a workplace investigation. This can be an investigation conducted under a Disciplinary, Grievance, or a Dignity at Work policy and procedure.

Download LGSC Conducting Investigations Toolkit -March 2023 PDF

A Strategic Approach to Employee Relations in Local Government Event

A Strategic Approach to Employee Relations in Local Government event hosted and supported by the Commission was held in the Seamus Heaney Homeplace, Bellaghy on 28th July 2023. 

The event was designed to inform discussion on the development of an enhanced strategic approach to employee relations for local government in Northern Ireland. The event included:

  • Details of the context within which an employee relations framework must operate in the changing local government environment.
  • An overview of the current arrangements for consultation and negotiation in local government in other jurisdictions.
  • An opportunity to jointly consider the strategic, national and local issues that currently impact on employee relations in local government.
  • Consideration of the implications of the recommendations of the Labour Relations Agency Statutory Review of Industrial Relations arrangements in the Northern Ireland Local Government Sector.

Chief Executives, Directors, HR and OD professionals from the 11 Councils, NIHE and NILGA attended the event.

The event was introduced by David Leask, North East Regional Employer’s Organisation (Nereo) who highlighted the role of the Commission in Industrial/Employee relations drawing attention in particular to setting standards for councils in good workplace based relations.  This was developed further by informing attendees that local government in Northern Ireland has two key features to be considered when evaluating potential regional arrangements:

  1. There are 11 distinct employers with potential disparate views, differing priorities and diverse political direction.
  2. There are a range of trade unions also with potentially divergent views representing employees across the sector.

Work continues to be carried out in this area.