Court vindicates police claim for overtime

THE SUPREME Court has ruled in favour of police officer Nicolas Nicolaou, who took the state to court over its failure to pay him his overtime hours.

Nicolaou had previously requested in writing from the then Chief of Police that he be paid £5,435 for the 1,703 overtime hours he had worked over a period of several years.When his application was rejected, Nicolaou took his superiors to court. The Judge, Demetris Hadjihambis, ruled that Nicolaou be paid the money, plus £500 in legal expenses.

The Court decision comes after years of conflict over the state’s refusal to pay overtime hours worked by police.

The President of the Police Union, Nicos Sophocleous, said yesterday that, although Nicolau’s success was a step forward, going to court remained a time-consuming and stressful way of doing things.

For this reason, he said, the union had collaborated with the Police Staff Committee, Finance Ministry and Justice Ministry to draw up an agreement that would see policemen owed overtime hours receive 75 per cent of the money they are owed, duty free. “Because I believe Mr. Nicolaou will be taxed on the money he receives,” he added.

“The agreement suggests the payment of 75 per cent of overtime hours owed, in three instalments over a period of two years. It is important to note, however, that this agreement is not binding on anyone, it is up to each officer’s personal decision,” said Sophocleous.

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