Redundancies – procedural arrangement

Procedural arrangements for dealing with potential redundancies.

1. Before a formal redundancy (or redundancies) process is commenced, the appropriate Pro Vice-Chancellor/Executive Director or nominee will notify the relevant staff concerned. The Workplace Consultative Committee (WCC) will also be notified following the notification to affected staff.

2. The Pro Vice-Chancellor/Executive Director or nominee will then commence a consultative process and prepare appropriate data (financial and/or otherwise), and any other relevant material relating to the grounds for the potential redundancy as prescribed in the relevant workplace Agreement. This information will be provided to employees concerned.

3. The consultation process with the relevant employees and where requested, their chosen representatives, will be used to inform them of the proposed changes, the reasons for the abolition of any positions, to seek input with regard to criteria that may be set by the cost centre and used to identify staff for any proposed terminations, and measures to avert or mitigate the adverse effects of the proposed terminations on the employees concerned. In this context, the issues that may be discussed include:

  • details of the likely date and method of implementation of the changes;
  • the number and category of employees likely to be affected and the expected effects of the change on the employees;
  • redeployment and retrenchment options, and counseling/outplacement programs for retrenched employees;
  • the seeking of suitable volunteers for retrenchment in lieu of other employees. The Pro Vice-Chancellor/Executive Director or nominee may accept a suitable volunteer for retrenchment if they consider the strategic requirements which lead to the redundancy (or redundancies) can be met;
  • information relating to contract appointments made in the relevant cost centre over the last 12 months; and
  • the potential impact of the departure of staff on respective work groups.

4. When selecting employees for redundancy from a group of employees, the selection will be based on consistent, transparent and relevant criteria.

5. Where requested by the employee, their chosen representative will expeditiously consult with the relevant Pro Vice-Chancellor/Executive Director or nominee on any issues which the employee or their chosen representative believes does not justify the selection of staff who are to be declared redundant.

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