The CIPD Employment law for HR success: a practical one-day course – 29th September 2026

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, 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, 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.

Date: Tuesday, 29th September 2026

Time: 9.30 am – 4.00 pm

Format: One-day, in-person

Location: Spencer Dock building, NCI Block R, West Spencer Dock, Dublin 1, D01 N6P6

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW

* Upon registration, participant details will be issued to both CIPD Ireland and Adare.

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 Trusted 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.