Redeployment and redundancy

Redeployment and redundancy arrangements in the Western Australian public sector
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Western Australian's redeployment and redundancy arrangements provide flexibility in assisting employers manage surplus employees (employees who are registrable or registered).

Redeployment and Redundancy - A Guide for Agencies is available to help agencies apply the redeployment and redundancy framework.

Who are registrable and registered employees?

Agencies are responsible for managing their registrable and registered employees through appropriate case management and support. Employees share responsibility for working positively with their case managers and other support services to pursue alternate employment opportunities.

Registrable employees:

  • are surplus to an agency's requirements
  • can be transferred to alternative suitable positions within their own agency or seek opportunities in the broader public sector
  • are not subject to a redeployment timeframe
  • can access voluntary severance
  • have the support of a case manager
  • will be provided with meaningful interim work while registrable.

Registered employees:

  • are surplus to an agency's requirements
  • cannot be transferred within their own agency and so are registered on the Recruitment Advertising Management System (this applies to both permanent and fix-term contract employees)
  • are subject to a six month redeployment period from the point of registration (although this period can be suspended)
  • have priority access to whole of sector vacancies
  • have the support of a case manager
  • will be provided with meaningful interim work while registered
  • can be employed in a position internal or external to the public sector for retraining purposes.

What are the preferred arrangements?

Internal placement, appropriate retraining opportunities, voluntary severance and redeployment are the preferred approaches to supporting surplus employees. Involuntary termination should be used only if all other options have been exhausted. 

Substandard performance, ill-health and disciplinary action are not reasons to register employees. There are other more appropriate mechanisms.

Legislative and policy framework

Agencies are required to meet legislative and other requirements.

Arrangements for redeployment and redundancy in the WA public sector are set out in the Public Sector Management (Redeployment and Redundancy) Regulations 2014.

The legislation is supported by Commissioner’s Instruction 11 - Redeployment Standard and Commissioner’s Instruction 12 - Redeployment and Redundancy which set out further procedural requirements.

Recruitment Advertising Management System

The Recruitment Advertising Management System (RAMS) helps surplus employees access suitable vacancies across the sector prior to them being advertised. RAMS also provides agency case managers with access to public sector vacancies.

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