Employment law for HR success: a practical one-day course

About this event

Apply Irish employment law with confidence through expert guidance, current case law and practical workplace scenarios.

Turn employment law knowledge into confident workplace decisions

Employment law challenges rarely arrive as straightforward legal questions. They arise through difficult conversations, performance concerns, complaints, investigations and organisational change, often requiring HR professionals to balance legal obligations, fair procedures and business needs.

Building on the success of the CIPD Ireland Employment Law Conference in May, supported by Adare People Partners, this practical one-day course will help you navigate these challenges with greater clarity and confidence.

Delivered by Katie Ridge, Barrister-at-Law, Head of Employer Relations at Adare People Partners, the course combines expert guidance with realistic workplace scenarios, recent case law and facilitated discussion. You’ll explore not only what the law requires, but how to apply it fairly and effectively in everyday HR practice.

Course information

Date: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Time: 9.30am–4.00pm
Format: One-day, in-person
Location: CIPD in Ireland office, A3 The Locks, Charlotte Quay Docks, Dublin 4
Member benefit: CIPD members receive a 15% discount

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for HR professionals who advise managers, support employee relations matters or make decisions that carry employment law implications.

It is particularly relevant for:

• HR generalists and HR business partners
• HR and employee relations managers
• People managers with responsibility for workplace matters
• People professionals with approximately three to five years’ experience
• Practitioners looking to refresh or strengthen their employment law knowledge

Some previous experience of handling employment law or employee relations matters will help you get the most from the day.

What will you gain?

By the end of the course, you’ll be better equipped to:

• Recognise the legal principles that underpin common employee relations situations
• Understand recent developments in Irish employment law and their workplace implications
• Distinguish between capability, performance and misconduct
• Apply natural justice and fair procedures during investigations, disciplinary processes and grievances
• Respond appropriately to equality, dignity and respect matters
• Manage redundancy and employee exits while reducing legal risk
• Draw practical lessons from recent WRC and Labour Court decisions
• Provide managers with clear, balanced and legally informed advice

Course content

Module 1: The Irish Employment Law Landscape

Begin with a focused overview of the foundations and current direction of Irish employment law.

Topics include:

• Current trends and recent legal developments
• Employment contracts as the basis of the employment relationship
• Express and implied contractual obligations

Module 2: Managing Performance and Conduct

Explore how to manage performance and conduct concerns within a fair and legally compliant framework.

Topics include:

• Performance management within a legal framework
• Capability versus misconduct
• Workplace investigations
• Disciplinary procedures
• Grievance management
• Natural justice and fair procedures

Module 3: Equality, Dignity and Respect at Work

Strengthen your ability to recognise and respond to sensitive workplace matters appropriately.

Topics include:

• Equality legislation and protected grounds
• Reasonable accommodation
• Harassment and sexual harassment
• Bullying and workplace investigations
• Inclusive workplace practices
• Managing sensitive complaints

Module 4: Redundancy and Employee Exits

Understand the legal and practical considerations involved in redundancy and other employee exits.

Topics include:

• Managing redundancy processes
• Settlement agreements
• Notice obligations
• Exit processes that reduce legal risk

Module 5: Employment Law in Practice

Conclude the day with a focused look at selected contemporary employment law issues and recent WRC and Labour Court decisions.

You’ll consider what these decisions mean for employers and how their lessons can be applied to HR policies, processes and workplace decision-making.

What to expect

This is an interactive course designed to move beyond legal theory.

You’ll work through case studies based on realistic Irish employment scenarios, take part in practical decision-making exercises and discuss different approaches with other HR professionals.

You’ll also be encouraged to bring anonymised workplace challenges for discussion in a supportive learning environment. This will help you connect the content directly to the situations you encounter in your role.

The small-group format will provide space to ask questions, share experiences and learn from both the facilitator and your peers

Your facilitator

Katie Ridge
Head of Employer Relations, Adare People Partners

Katie will provide expert guidance on the legal principles covered throughout the day and help participants translate them into practical, fair and confident workplace action.

Refreshments and lunch

Light refreshments will be provided during the course. Lunch is not included, but a range of cafés and restaurants is available within walking distance of the CIPD in Ireland office.

Places are limited to maintain an engaging and interactive learning environment.

Early booking is recommended.

Please Note

Cancellations MUST be notified in writing.

A cancellation fee of 25% of the full fee will apply to cancellations received up to (NORMALLY 2 WEEKS BEFORE EVENT) No refund can be made for cancellations received after (NORMALLY 2 WEEKS BEFORE EVENT) . A substitution may be made at any time.

CIPD reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the event or change its associated programme or substitute a speaker. In the event of cancellation, liability is limited to the amount of registration only.

For your security and peace of mind, CIPD and its subsidiaries will not supply your details to any organisation for marketing purposes. By submitting this request you confirm that you agree to the use of your information as set out in CIPD’s privacy policy. We reserve the right to include your name in a list of delegates at the event.

Non-members may click here to sign up to receive our e-newsletters which will keep you up-to-date with HR news in Ireland as well as CIPD Ireland events and survey research.

Professional photography and video production may be taking place at the event and these images may be used on future promotional materials for CIPD. Please note that by attending the event, you are giving your consent for your image to be used on any CIPD promotional materials.