- Conference
- 2012 Police & Justice Conference
- Date
- 13 June 2012
- Decision
- Carried
This Conference is concerned that public sector cuts are being used to impact on the terms and conditions of disabled police staff through abuse of sickness absence management policies and disability leave policies.
An increasing number of members working PCSO’s, CSI, kennel staff, mounted staff, custody staff and others report that police authorities are arguing that additional measures to discount disability related absences are not needed and that absence can be managed through traditional sickness procedures; this conference agrees that such an approach can lead to systemic discrimination of disabled workers. Members report further detrimental action being faced through the use of return to work action plans that are impossible to adhere to, placing members at immediate threat of capability procedures being used against them.
UNISON’s model disability leave policy has been found to offer a non-discriminatory method of managing work attendance, disability related absence and sickness in the most equitable framework and one that also affords freedom to employers who do not wish to be accused of discrimination through failure to make a reasonable adjustment.
This Conference calls on the Police and Justice Service Group Executive to work with the National Disabled Members’ Committee to:
a)Consult with Police and Justice Branches for evidence of bad employment practice concerning sickness management procedures and examples of progressive use of disability leave policies
b) Promote the guidance contained in the Equality Act Code of Practice for Employment and Occupation that sets out examples of reasonable adjustments such as disability leave and time off work to attend therapy, counselling and other disability related treatments
c)Report developments to the Police and Justice Service Group Conference 2013.
Submitted by the Disabled Members’ Self Organised Group