Employment Advice for Police Officers

Police officers are employed by the Crown and are therefore not protected by many employment laws. For instance, a police officer cannot bring a case for unfair dismissal.

However, police officers and applicants are protected by the following pieces of employment legislation:

• The Equality Act 2010. If you are a police officer or applicant and believe you have been discriminated against by the chief constable, police authority or other body you may be able to take your complaints to the Employment tribunal. This includes discrimination due to sex, religion and belief, marriage or civil partnership, race, disability, age, gender reassignment and sexual orientation.
• Police officers are also protected under whistleblowing legislation if they have made a protected disclosure and suffer a detriment or dismissal as a result.
• The Working Time Regulations 1998, applies to police officers (subject to extensive exclusions).
• The Part-time workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000, protects police officers from discrimination on the grounds of their part-time status.
• The Fixed-Term Workers Regulations 2003 prevents less favourable treatment of fixed-term workers compared to permanent employees.
• Police officers have the right not to be dismissed for raising a health and safety concern.

How can Gorvins help?

Perhaps you have applied to the police force and have been rejected due to a disability? Or you may have felt bullied or harassed due to reporting wrongdoing at work. If you believe the treatment you are receiving by the force is potentially covered by one of the categories above, do not hesitate to get in contact for detailed specialist advice and guidance.

Gorvins’ employment team have experience in representing police officers in all areas of discrimination and whistleblowing complaints providing practical advice on managing internal complaints right up to and including pursuing the matter to Tribunal.

We recognise how distressing it is when your professional career as an officer is threatened by unfair and discriminatory treatment, and we are here to help you to achieve the best possible and most cost-effective outcome to your dispute.

Contact our employment team today

To find out more information and to get the legal advice you need, please contact our Stockport-based employment team today at 0161 930 5151, or send us an e-mail to employmentteam@gorvins.com.