Landmark employment law ruling extends employer responsibility

Employment law may be altered by a landmark decision in favour of a police officer who quit her job and later changed her mind.

Sarah Jane Hinsley handed in her resignation at West Mercia Police, while suffering - unbeknownst to her - from severe depression.

An employment tribunal has ruled once her condition was successfully treated she had the right to return to her job, a decision that may change the way organisations deal with disability discrimination.

The employment law experts claimed the force was wrong to refuse to re-employ the officer, with commentators saying the verdict is the first of its kind and has significant implications for the treatment of staff who give up their jobs.

Ms Hinsley revealed: "Being diagnosed made me realise why everything had seemed so bad … I realised there was light at the end of the tunnel and I wanted my job back," the Telegraph reports.

Last month, an Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled the original decision to uphold the force's judgement was wrong, saying due compensation should be paid.

Published by Phil Hammond