Selection pool

There is a risk of both direct and indirect discrimination in the choice of the selection pool, for example, targeting young, part-time or pregnant employees.

The risk of direct discrimination is especially high where there is a pool of just one employee. Pools of one are lawful where there is genuinely only one job at risk of redundancy. However, if that person has a protected characteristic (for example, they are the only pregnant employee), there is an obvious risk of unlawful direct discrimination.