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The Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
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Changes over time for: Section 138
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Changes to legislation:
The Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, Section 138 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 09 February 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Article 138:
- Pt. 7A inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 1
- Ch. 5 inserted by 2022 c. 27 (N.I.) s. 1(1)
- art. 21(4B) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 2
- art. 23(1)(zza) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 3
- art. 70F inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 4
- art. 70G inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 20
- art. 71(1C) inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 21(a)
- art. 72(8) inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 22(b)
- art. 85ZS(3)(a)-(c) substituted for words by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 47(4)
- art. 135E inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 6
- art. 135G inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 25
- art. 137(6D) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 7
- art. 137(7N) inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 26(b)
- art. 140(3)(fj) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 8
- art. 140(3)(fl) inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 27
- art. 143(2)(ddd) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 9
- art. 144(2)(ddd) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 10
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):
- Pt. 7A inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 1
- Ch. 5 inserted by 2022 c. 27 (N.I.) s. 1(1)
- art. 21(4B) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 2
- art. 23(1)(zza) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 3
- art. 70F inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 4
- art. 70G inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 20
- art. 71(1C) inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 21(a)
- art. 72(8) inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 22(b)
- art. 85ZS(3)(a)-(c) substituted for words by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 47(4)
- art. 135E inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 6
- art. 135G inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 25
- art. 137(6D) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 7
- art. 137(7N) inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 26(b)
- art. 140(3)(fj) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 8
- art. 140(3)(fl) inserted by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 7 para. 27
- art. 143(2)(ddd) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 9
- art. 144(2)(ddd) inserted by 2011 c. 13 (N.I.) Sch. 3 Pt. 2 para. 10
X1ReplacementsN.I.
138.—(1) Where this Article applies to an employee he shall be regarded for the purposes of Article 130(1)(b) as having been dismissed for a substantial reason of a kind such as to justify the dismissal of an employee holding the position which the employee held.
(2) This Article applies to an employee where—
(a)on engaging him the employer informs him in writing that his employment will be terminated on the resumption of work by another employee who is, or will be, absent wholly or partly because of pregnancy or childbirth,[F1 or on adoption leave] [F2[F3or shared parental leave] ,] and
(b)the employer dismisses him in order to make it possible to give work to the other employee.
(3) This Article also applies to an employee where—
(a)on engaging him the employer informs him in writing that his employment will be terminated on the end of a suspension of another employee from work on medical grounds or maternity grounds (within the meaning of Part VIII), and
(b)the employer dismisses him in order to make it possible to allow the resumption of work by the other employee.
(4) Paragraph (1) does not affect the operation of Article 130(4) in a case to which this Article applies.
Editorial Information
X1The insertion of the new arts. 130ZA-130ZH preceded by new "Retirement" crossheading and followed by new "Other Dismissals" crossheading on 1.10.2006 gives rise to a change in the structure of this Order on legislation.gov.uk which breaks the continuity of historical versions of the existing provisions which are brought under new "Other Dismissals" crossheading
F2Words in art. 138(2)(a) inserted (1.10.2010) by Work and Families (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1947 (N.I. 16)), arts. 1(3), 13(1), Sch. 1 para. 41; S.R. 2010/295, art. 3(a)(d)
F3Words in art. 138(2)(a) substituted (15.3.2015) by Work and Families Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (c. 1), s. 23(1), Sch. 1 para. 4(17); S.R. 2015/86, art. 3(2)(d) (with art. 6(1))
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