Leaving Monash Procedure - Redundancy and Redeployment

Parent policy

Leaving Monash

Preamble

Due to changed circumstances, staff employed by the University may be identified as excess to requirements and notified accordingly. Where the affected staff member does not elect to take voluntary early separation, the option of redeployment into a suitable vacant position is available. Where redeployment is not successful, the staff member’s employment with the University may then be terminated and the staff member will be paid any redundancy benefits s/he is entitled to under the relevant Enterprise Agreement.

The processes and entitlements for redeployment and redundancy are outlined in each of the University’s Enterprise Agreements.

This procedure supplements the Enterprise Agreement clauses by detailing the University’s redeployment processes and specifying the calculation of voluntary early separation payments to professional staff.

The procedure applies to all continuing staff employed by the University, except staff on Continuing (Contingent Funded) Employment contracts. It does not apply to fixed-term, sessional/casual staff members, staff members on probation or honorary/adjunct appointees.

Definitions

Redeployment: means a staff member’s transfer into a suitable vacant position as a consequence of his/her redundancy.

Relevant Enterprise Agreement: means the Enterprise Agreement that applies to a particular staff member. The Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009 will apply to academic and professional staff employed by the University and, depending on the services provided by a trades and services staff member, the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services staff - Building and Metal Trades Staff staff) 2009 or the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services Staff - Catering and Retail, Cleaning and Caretaking, and Miscellaneous Services Staff) 2005 will apply.

Representative: means a person as defined under clause 3 of the relevant Enterprise Agreement.

Suitable vacant position: is a vacant position as defined under the relevant Enterprise Agreement, and includes suitable alternative employment as defined under clause 3 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services Staff - Building and Metal Trades Staff) 2009.

Enterprise Agreements

The University’s redundancy and redeployment obligations and procedures (apart from this procedure) are set out in the University’s Enterprise Agreements. This procedure should be read in conjunction with the relevant clauses in the Enterprise Agreements.

The Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009:

• Clause 47 Redundancy - Academic Staff
• Clause 48 Redundancy - Professional Staff
• Clause 49 Redeployment Process - Academic and Professional Staff

The Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services Staff - Building and Metal Trades Staff) 2009:

• Clause 20 Redeployment and Redundancy

The Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services staff - Catering and Retail, Cleaning and Caretaking, and Miscellaneous Services Staff) 2005:

• Clause 21 Redeployment and Redundancy

Queries regarding this procedure, the relevant Enterprise Agreement clauses and redundancy and redeployment more broadly should be directed to Workplace Relations.

Consultation

The University is obliged by its Enterprise Agreement to notify and consult where a proposed significant or substantial change will affect staff. The relevant Enterprise Agreement clauses are:

• for academic and professional staff, clause 13 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009; and
• for trades and services staff, clause 10 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services Staff - Building and Metal Trades Staff) 2009 and clause 9 of the Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services staff - Catering and Retail, Cleaning and Caretaking, and Miscellaneous services staff) 2005.

For advice regarding the University’s change notification and consultation obligations where potential redundancy is under consideration, refer to Workplace Relations.

Notification in writing

A staff member whose position is to be declared redundant (or the staff member’s Representative where the staff member chooses) will be notified in writing of the redundancy and the reasons for the redundancy.

Redeployment

The redeployment process for staff (including trades and services staff) is set out in clause 49 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009 and coordinated by the University’s Placement Coordinator. It operates in practice as follows.

Step 1: Written notification regarding the redeployment process

A staff member whose position is likely to be declared redundant and who elects to be considered for redeployment will be sent in writing details regarding the redeployment process, including the dates of the designated redeployment period and the name and contact details for the University’s Placement Coordinator.

It will be the responsibility of the staff member to contact the Placement Coordinator.

Step 2: Interview with adviser and preparation of personal career plan

The Placement Coordinator will meet with the staff member and may, where appropriate, organise an interview for the staff member with an external career transition adviser. The Placement Coordinator and/or the external career transition adviser will assist the staff member in preparing a written statement that identifies the staff member’s career aspirations, experience, knowledge, level of skills and training needs (“a personal career plan”).

The staff member will provide the final personal career plan and his/her curriculum vitae to the Placement Coordinator.

Step 3: Identification of potential suitable vacant positions

During the redeployment period, the Placement Coordinator will review the University’s upcoming vacant positions and will identify any positions that are potentially commensurate with the staff member’s skills, knowledge and expertise.

The Placement Coordinator will contact the staff member when a potential position is identified and the staff member will be asked to indicate whether s/he is interested in the position. Where the staff member is interested in a position (and confirms this by email to the Placement Coordinator), a freeze will be placed on that position for a reasonable period to allow for Step 4, pending which it will not proceed to advertising.

Step 4: Interview for identified vacant positions

A panel comprised of the Chair of the Selection Committee for the position, another representative from the Faculty/Division and the Placement Coordinator will interview the staff member to determine whether the position is a suitable vacant position for the staff member to be placed into. If the staff member does not, within a reasonable period, make himself/herself available for interview the selection panel can proceed to make a decision based on the material available to it.

If the position is not determined to be a suitable vacant position, the position will proceed to advertising and the Placement Coordinator and staff member will explore other potential positions for the duration of the designated redeployment period.

Where no suitable vacant positions are available, the staff member’s position will be declared redundant and the staff member will be paid any redundancy benefits s/he is entitled to under the relevant Enterprise Agreement.

The University’s Placement Coordinator can be contacted via Workplace Relations.

Voluntary Early Separation Payment - Professional Staff

The calculation of voluntary early separation payments to a professional staff member will be on the basis of the staff member’s average fraction over his/her last 5 years of service or his/her fraction at the date of cessation of employment, whichever is the greater.

Responsibilities

Dean or Divisional Director

A Dean or Divisional Director who is contemplating making a staff member/s redundant must consult with the Director, Workplace Relations or a Workplace Relations Consultant.

Placement Coordinator

The Placement Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the University’s redeployment process.

Director, Workplace Relations

The Director, Workplace Relations is responsible for the oversight of the redeployment and redundancy processes and for ensuring that the University meets its obligations under the relevant Enterprise Agreement.

Related procedures

• Remuneration and Benefits Procedure - Superannuation
• Resignation and Exiting the University
• Leaving Monash Procedure - Retirement

Related Enterprise Agreement Clauses

The Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009:

• Clause 3 Definitions
• Clause 13 Consultation About Change
• Clause 47 Redundancy - Academic Staff
• Clause 48 Redundancy - Professional Staff
• Clause 49 Redeployment Process - Academic and Professional Staff

The Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services Staff - Building and Metal Trades Staff) 2009:

• Clause 3 Definitions
• Clause 10 Consultation About Change
• Clause 20 Redeployment and Redundancy

Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services Staff - Catering and Retail, Cleaning and Caretaking, and Miscellaneous Services Staff) 2005:

• Clause 3 Definitions
• Clause 9 Introduction of Major Change in the Workplace
• Clause 21 Redeployment and Redundancy