One in six workers made redundant in the last year believes they were unfairly selected for being a parent, new research suggests.
A further one in 10 suspects they were targeted for being pregnant or because their bosses thought they were likely to start a family, according to a report.
Employment law specialists Slater and Gordon said these are all unlawful reasons to select someone for redundancy.
Its survey of 1,000 people made redundant since last March found that three out of four were concerned about the legality of their, or their colleagues’, dismissal, but felt unable to challenge the decision.
Ruby Dinsmore, of Slater and Gordon, said: “When a group of staff are ‘at risk’ of redundancy, but some positions remain, the employer must carry out a fair and objective selection process to decide who stays and who goes.
“This must be non-discriminatory. A person’s sex, age, race or health should not be used as part of this selection process.
“Any employer who selects a woman because she has childcare responsibilities is acting unlawfully as this is likely to constitute indirect sex discrimination.”
Many of those polled said their bosses made it clear that certain groups would be targeted for redundancy.
Parents said that, before redundancies took place, they already felt singled out and treated differently for having children.
Four out of five of those surveyed were parents.
