As we approach the end of 2025, we take a moment to
reflect on the key employment law developments and market trends
that have shaped the year.
There is no doubt but that this year will be remembered for its
profound geopolitical and economic disruption, and employers have
had to navigate this turbulent environment. Here, we focus on the
key employment law themes from 2025 and flag where we anticipate
those trends to continue into 2026.
1. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: where are we at now?
Within days of President Trump taking office in January, we saw
the dismantlement of the US federal DEI policy and a seismic shift
in the DEI agenda. As a result, international employers were forced
to grapple with balancing local expectations and compliance
requirements with the pressure to align with the US stance. In
practice, we saw organisations in Ireland with strong American ties
continue with their DEI strategy, but they chose not to publicise
such campaigns. This
