Mental wellbeing | Police officer banned from running side-hustle while off sick wins £1.1m payout

A former Thames Valley Police sergeant has been awarded £1.1 million in compensation after an employment tribunal ruled she was constructively dismissed following the force’s decision to prevent her from running a small events business while on sick leave. 

Katherine Hibbert, who had served in the force for 16 years and had an “exemplary” record, successfully claimed that Thames Valley Police had discriminated against her due to her mental health condition and that their handling of the situation forced her to resign.

Side-hustle was good for officer’s mental health

The tribunal heard that Hibbert, who worked as a safeguarding sergeant in a high-pressure role dealing with child sexual and drug exploitation cases, began suffering from severe depression, anxiety, and complex PTSD. She had been in the role since 2017, and by 2018 her mental health was deteriorating. 

As part of her treatment, occupational health advisors suggested she take up creative hobbies as a way to manage her stress. In response to this advice, Hibbert set up a small business providing decorated party tents for events, which she described as a “positive and therapeutic outlet” that helped balance the emotional demands of her police work.