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Advice on Employment Rights

Assistance with your rights and responsibilities

Whether you're an employer or an employee, if you are looking for free and confidential assistance with your employment rights, you can contact the Labour Relations Agency external link's Enquiry Point on 028 9032 1442 or 028 7126 9639.  However the Agency does not offer advice on the merits of an individual complaint.

For queries about equality or discrimination in employment, telephone the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland external link's Enquiry Line on 028 9089 0890.  Guidance on equality and discrimination at work external link is also available.  The equality section of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy first Minister web-site external link may also be useful.

For health and safety at work queries, contact the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland external link's Freephone Helpline on 0800 0320 121.  They also produce online guidance on health and safety issues, both general external link and sector specific external link, and provide an e-mail inquiry service external link.

The Citizens Advice Bureau external link can be a further source of assistance in these areas.

There is a range of guidance material available from the Department's Employment Rights publications and other sources such as NIDirect external link.

Employers seeking general information can use the nisbusinessinfo external link.  If you want to know about rules and regulations when starting up or growing your own business, look at some useful information from Invest Northern Ireland external link.

Codes of Practice which help employers establish best practice in the workplace can be obtained from the Department, the Labour Relations Agency external link, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland external link and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland external link.