Can a supervisor tell you your job isn't safe once your work mate retires?

im aware acas is a good place to get info on employment issues so im really looking for anyone who has had similar happen to them what did you do are you sure of your rights? my ex workmates still work for the same company 1 of which retires this year the rumour is that once she retires the other worker will lose her job and be replaced by someone else any advise i can pass on? i've already suggested going to the manager and if get no joy then speak to acas.
Additional Details
the lady has a contract with them isn't within a probationary period and has been given no reason so i disagree thunder law maybe different where you are but in the uk employees have rights to protect them

gail

The supervisor is out of procedure and shouldn't be making comments like that and causing unnecessary worry for you friend.
Your right she should go and speak with a manager i personally would write a letter and go to HR inform them of what i had heard and ask them to confirm if it was true.
If your friend was taken on by the company independently then she has every right to be treated independently and this other person retiring should have nothing to do with her individual contract. If she is laid off then it should be all about her and her employment with the company not someone elses.

prince_henry

it could be that the job your two friends do is really no longer needed but rather making both workers redundant they are waiting for one to retire to save on costs.
if they make your friend redundant they can not then employ someone to do the job she was doing that is against the law by making her redundant they are saying the job she does is no longer there.

Cari

Of course. If a job is no longer required, then that person is redundant. It doesn't really matter what the reasons are for this.

In fact, two people at my old work are in similar situations. Their department is headed by two Directors who have both decided to take early retirement this year. Therefore the company has decided to close that department and make the two other remaining people redundant. This is because whilst the two of them are good at what they do, neither of them has the experience or expertise required to actually lead the department. The reality is though, that as soon as a new Manager/Director can be appointed, the department will be recreated and new people hired into their positions.

However in your friend's case, I really suspect that "the rumour" is wrong. So currently, the company has two people working alongside each other. One of those people is leaving anyway. So if they had someone else that they wanted to offer a job to, well, they've already got a vacancy created by one person retiring. So why make someone else redundant?

thunder2sys

As an at will employee a company can let you go at any time for no reason. At the same time as an employee, you have the right to leave at any time for no reason.

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