WHO AM I

I am Laiane Dethling, a former Police Officer at the MPS North West BCU in London. With a strong academic background in Law, I have taken it upon myself to disrupt the rampant institutional racism within the Met and to challenge the status quo of employment rights within policing. I joined to make a difference and I left to make even more.

WHAT I DO

I advocate on behalf of Police Officers for better working conditions, non-discriminatory policies, industrial rights and the legal recognition of Officers as employees under UK legislation. I am also a whistleblower raising awareness of institutional racism, bullying and negligence within the Met and the PolFed.

MY JOURNEY

I worked as an Officer for 2.5 years. In the last 10 months of my tenure, I suffered incessant discrimination and harassment from some officers, including Sergeants and Inspectors. It led me to a mental breakdown, forcing me to leave the career I had always dreamed of. Now I am suing the Met.

FOLLOW MY TRIBUNAL JOURNEY

Research Resources

PRE-CLAIM

Acas is a public body which oversees employment practices in the UK.

It offers Advice, conciliation and arbitration.

Workers must notify ACAS if they’ve decided to bring a claim to the Employment Tribunal

Consult their website for general Employment Guidance and to understand Tribunal time limits.

Going through grievance, disciplinary or appeal procedures does not change your time limit.

START A CLAIM

To make a claim to the Employment Tribunal, access the submission form on the government website.

It is best that you do not submit your claim prior to seeking legal advice. If you are self-represented, conduct extensive online research.

Tribunal Rules of Procedures are challenging for self-represented litigants.

Research. Research. Research.

PRIMARY LEGISLATION | WHERE TO FIND

Primary legislation in the UK consists of Acts of Parliament, which are also known as statutes.

Read my Law Essentials guide for a brief introduction to the UK’s Legislation framework.

Almost all current Acts of Parliament are available to read on the Legislation.gov.uk website.

SECONDARY LEGISLATION | WHERE TO FIND

Secondary legislation are rules and regulations created by government ministers to support and implement Acts of Parliament.

They dictate the details of how legislation should be implemented, allowing for practical flexibility and procedural guidance.

The UK parliament website is the most comprehensive source for UK’s secondary legislation.

CASE LAW | WHERE TO FIND

In the UK, case law refers to the collection of judicial decisions, including judgments and precedents set by courts, which serves as precedent for interpreting and deciding similar legal issues in subsequent cases.

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) often sets precedents in employment law, whilst the decision of lower Tribunals can be influential.

Access EAT case updates here and here. A broader range of general case law can be accessible for free via the BAILII database.

GUIDES & CODES OF PRACTICE | WHERE TO FIND

There are a number of different types of guides and codes of practice governing UK Employment law.

You can access the Equality Act 2010 Statutory Code of Practice, clicking here. This document is the authoritative,
comprehensive and technical guide to the detail of law pertaining to the Act.

“That is why we are publishing guidance that will give individuals, businesses,
employers and public authorities the information they need to understand
the Act, exercise their rights, and meet their responsibilities”

Trevor Phillips | Chair, Equality and
Human Rights Commission

GENERAL GUIDANCE | WHERE TO FIND

There are a number of organisations who provide general guidance on various workplace-related issues. I will be updating the list as time goes by.

For free legal advice see: