CUMBRIA Police has been ordered to make a payout to two employees for 'unlawful' deduction of wages.

Jayne and Andrew Clement took the force to an employment tribunal claiming they had been paid overtime for a shift worked in April last year.

Tribunal documents said Mr Clement is an operator and Mrs Clement is a supervisor in the control room at the force's headquarters in Penrith.

The tribunal was told the employees worked a Sunday shift on April 25 last year, with the start time of the shift changed by bosses the day.

They were paid double time for the shift but later claimed they have also received pay at the normal rate for the hours they worked.

They pointed to a clause in the  Police Staff Council Terms and Conditions Handbook that said they were entitled to receive 'both double time and plain time' when given few than 72 hours' notice.

The tribunal was told at the time managers did not agree.

But after the claim was examined the tribunal, a judge ruled they were correct.

Employment Judge Howard ruled in their employees' favour and awarded Mrs Clement £100.16 and Mr Clement £87.46.

The judge said in a judgment: "The claimants were entitled to be paid both double time and plain time for the 8 hours shift worked on 25th April 2021 in accordance with a proper interpretation of clauses 1.5 & 1.7(d) of the Police Staff Council Terms and Conditions Handbook as incorporated into the claimant’s terms and conditions of employment.

"The claimants’ claims of unlawful deduction from wages pursuant to the provisions of Part II Employment Rights Act 1996 succeed.

"The respondent unreasonably failed to comply with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures 2019 and an uplift of 10% is awarded to those sums under TULR(C )A 1992, S207A to reflect that unreasonable failure.

"The respondent is ordered to pay to the claimants the total sum of £187.62."

A Cumbria Police spokeswoman said: “We received the judge’s decision and the written reasons.

“As a result we are updating our police staff terms and conditions to reflect the judgment made.”