Oh dear : The UK is officially mad II

[mcquiggd]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

Women PCs win right to bonus for working night shifts despite only working days

Two women police officers were yesterday handed the right to extra bonus payments for working at night - even though they only work day shifts.

The two officers, both working mothers, should get the extra money because their childcare commitments stop them from working anti-social hours, a tribunal ruled.

Denying them the allowance for working at night - which men can do - is sex discrimination, it said.

Its judgement means West Midlands police must now pay thousands of pounds in special allowances to single mother Susan Blackburn and her colleague, mother of two Victoria Manley, both of whom work part-time.

But the repercussions of the landmark judgement are likely to be felt throughout the public sector - especially in the NHS - and by all private firms that pay allowances to workers who are prepared to be on duty at night and through weekends.

Business leaders warned that the tribunal ruling threatens workers with losing their unsocial hours allowances and means firms may be stripped of the right to pay incentive money to those prepared to work at night when others will not.

The cost to the taxpayer of paying police officers and other public sector workers extra allowances may run into hundreds of millions of pounds.

The employment tribunal in Birmingham said that because more women than men restrict their hours to look after children, paying more to officers willing to work all hours amounts to sex discrimination.

It has yet to consider whether the two officers should get compensation as well as the extra allowances the tribunal said they are owed.

<continued>

[threaded]

Sounds perfectly logical if you've studied the relevant legislation and case law. I suggest the Plod sack their entire HR department for making such an egregious error.

[stackpole]

Making women give birth instead of men will be sex discrimination next!

[Troll]

The Surrey police force has been branded as "crazy" for hiring security guards to protect its headquarters.

Four guards are based at its Mount Browne HQ in Guildford where about 900 constabulary employees work, including the Chief Constable, Robert Quick.

Councillor and ex-member of the Surrey Police Authority, Terry Dicks, said it was "absolutely crackers" for security guards to guard policemen at work.

The police authority said it was following official security guidelines.

A spokeswoman said the guards were being employed to "enable officers not to be distracted from their general policing duties" in line with guidance issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

"The guards are being employed to ensure the safety of visitors to Mount Browne as well as that of officers and staff," she added.

The police force believes the strategy will free up more officers to serve the public.

But Tory councillor Mr Dicks said it was a sign of the "stupidity" of the Chief Constable and the members of the police authority who supported him.

"Can't they [the police] protect themselves? It's crazy.

"This tells us all we need to know about how Surrey Police is run," he said.

[mcquiggd]

I wonder what the security guards would do if something happened - dial 999 and wait a day or two for someone to turn up....?

[Denny]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

Women PCs win right to bonus for working night shifts despite only working days

Two women police officers were yesterday handed the right to extra bonus payments for working at night - even though they only work day shifts.

The two officers, both working mothers, should get the extra money because their childcare commitments stop them from working anti-social hours, a tribunal ruled.

Denying them the allowance for working at night - which men can do - is sex discrimination, it said.

Its judgement means West Midlands police must now pay thousands of pounds in special allowances to single mother Susan Blackburn and her colleague, mother of two Victoria Manley, both of whom work part-time.

But the repercussions of the landmark judgement are likely to be felt throughout the public sector - especially in the NHS - and by all private firms that pay allowances to workers who are prepared to be on duty at night and through weekends.

Business leaders warned that the tribunal ruling threatens workers with losing their unsocial hours allowances and means firms may be stripped of the right to pay incentive money to those prepared to work at night when others will not.

The cost to the taxpayer of paying police officers and other public sector workers extra allowances may run into hundreds of millions of pounds.

The employment tribunal in Birmingham said that because more women than men restrict their hours to look after children, paying more to officers willing to work all hours amounts to sex discrimination.

It has yet to consider whether the two officers should get compensation as well as the extra allowances the tribunal said they are owed.

<continued>

Does seem crazy and don't see what the sex discrimination link is at all. After all women without children would be able to work nights just as easily as their male colleagues.

[Mordac]

Does seem crazy and don't see what the sex discrimination link is at all. After all women without children would be able to work nights just as easily as their male colleagues.

Yes, but thanks to fuckwit laws like these, they don't have to. Brilliant.

[Miss Ellie]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

Women PCs win right to bonus for working night shifts despite only working days

Two women police officers were yesterday handed the right to extra bonus payments for working at night - even though they only work day shifts.

The two officers, both working mothers, should get the extra money because their childcare commitments stop them from working anti-social hours, a tribunal ruled.

Denying them the allowance for working at night - which men can do - is sex discrimination, it said.

Its judgement means West Midlands police must now pay thousands of pounds in special allowances to single mother Susan Blackburn and her colleague, mother of two Victoria Manley, both of whom work part-time.

But the repercussions of the landmark judgement are likely to be felt throughout the public sector - especially in the NHS - and by all private firms that pay allowances to workers who are prepared to be on duty at night and through weekends.

Business leaders warned that the tribunal ruling threatens workers with losing their unsocial hours allowances and means firms may be stripped of the right to pay incentive money to those prepared to work at night when others will not.

The cost to the taxpayer of paying police officers and other public sector workers extra allowances may run into hundreds of millions of pounds.

The employment tribunal in Birmingham said that because more women than men restrict their hours to look after children, paying more to officers willing to work all hours amounts to sex discrimination.

It has yet to consider whether the two officers should get compensation as well as the extra allowances the tribunal said they are owed.

<continued>

I think this case is going to waste more taxpayers money by being sent to the appeal courts then the House of Lords. Normally when a tribunal makes such a stupid decision they refer it to the higher courts so they get a commonsense interpretation which stands as law. At the moment while one tribunal says this is sex discrimination another tribunal will argue quite effectively it isn't.

I don't see a sex discrimination link however I see a link that means the force is discriminating against people who have young children whatever their sex if they are the main carer.

I also know that clever NHS trusts get around paying people more by either:
1. making everyone work shifts as a condition of the job
2. allowing people who need to look after children work at a certain time i.e. the night to make their childcare easier.