Ireland's approach to contractual retirement ages changed significantly on 29 June 2026 with the commencement of the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025 and the updated Code of Practice on Longer Working.

These changes introduce a new consent-based framework that will affect how employers manage retirement, employee requests to work beyond retirement age, and the drafting of contracts and workplace policies.

Laura McKee of Legal Island is joined by Anne O'Connell of Anne O'Connell Solicitors, who explains what the new framework means in practice and the steps employers should be taking now.

This episode explores:

How the new legislation interacts with existing equality law

Practical changes employers should make to contracts, policies and retirement procedures

Managing requests to continue working beyond retirement age while minimising legal risk

Common pitfalls and practical tips for HR professionals and managers.

Disability remains the most cited reason for discrimination claims under the Employment Equality Act, according to the WRC’s most recent Annual Report. For employers and HR professionals, failing to manage accommodations or disability-related absences isn’t just tricky—it’s risky and expensive.

Join Sinead Morgan, Legal Director at DAC Beachcroft, for a practical 45-minute session where she breaks down recent WRC and Labour Court decisions and shares the key lessons HR teams wish they’d learned sooner. Discover actionable guidance on reasonable accommodations to keep your workplace inclusive, compliant, and far less stressful.

Research by Matrix Recruitment shows 88% of workers say bullying and harassment remains a serious problem in Irish workplaces. Handling allegations of bullying and harassment is one of the most testing parts of the HR role, particularly when emotions are high and everyone is watching what you do next. Mishandling complaints can escalate issues, harm morale, and even trigger a tribunal.

Dr Gerry McMahon – an acknowledged national expert in people management who has over 35 years’ experience as a workplace investigator (covering bullying, harassment, disciplinary, dismissal and grievance issues). Drawing on this extensive experience, Gerry explores real-world investigation scenarios, highlighting where organisations commonly go wrong and what good practice looks like in the eyes of the WRC. Gerry is also a highly experienced trainer, negotiator, facilitator, mediator, arbitrator and team builder, working across a wide range of employment sectors.

Hosted by Julie Holmes from Legal Island, she ensures you get the practical guidance you need. And you will leave with a clearer sense of what the WRC expects, and reassurance you do not have to be perfect, but what you and your organisation need to do to demonstrate you have been fair, consistent and thoughtful.