Disability discrimination in the police: employment tribunal decisions

This article summarises the main issues and outcomes in five tribunal cases brought by police officers under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Although the decisions are not binding on other tribunals, they provide useful illustrations for police forces of situations that have led to disability discrimination claims.

On this page:
Introduction
HR manager pressurised dyslexic probationary officer into resigning
Assumptions about the effects of multiple sclerosis gave rise to disability discrimination
Failure to allow police officer to qualify for enhanced competence-related threshold pay was discriminatory
No disability discrimination against an officer with obsessive compulsive disorder
Medical retirement of blind officer not disability discrimination

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Introduction

When the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 came into force on 2 December 1996, its employment provisions covered police civilian staff, but did not extend to police constables who, technically, are office holders and not employees.