Refusing voluntary redundancy

Hi

If a Company refuses to accept an application for voluntary redundancy, but that person will be in a selection pool later on, have they rendered it unfair by effectively saying that person would not be chosen or is it an employer's prerogative to do this?

This person's role is largely interchangeable with a pool of others but he has some very specific skills that no one else has and which the business doesn't want to lose.

Advice appreciated!

No - that is a perfect reason for both refusing voluntary redundancy and not selecting them for redundancy when it becomes compulsory. But do bear in mind that unhappy employees are not always very productive employees, so if you are going to refuse him when he volunteers, be ready to be exceedingly nice and explain in great detail how very valuable he is to you.

Thank you - that's really helpful. Difficult to keep everyone happy but if I can at least demonstrate fairness I'll be satisfied!

I wouldn't normally advise employers - I do so rarely. But you seemed to have some genuine concern about your employee, so I waived my normal rule. "Demonstrating fairness" would be a plus - many employers don't give a damn about it! But do remember what I said, an unhappy employee isn't one who has your best interests or their work at heart - so do be careful what you wish for. Perhaps a good chat is called for. The person may have jumped to avoid being pushed? If so, they may feel a lot better to know that they are valued. If not - you might be better off knowing!