Redeployment principles

1. Individual agencies should explore redeployment options for excess staff both internally and, if no suitable positions are available, within the wider APS through collaborative arrangements with other agencies

While the highest priority is on excess staff, agencies should also work with potentially excess staff to minimise the number ultimately declared excess.
There is a shared responsibility for redeployment; staff are expected to make efforts to move to an ongoing job as quickly as possible, and agencies need to provide a high level of information and support to the affected staff.
Agencies should not use excess staffing arrangements as an alternative to dealing with underperformance.
The new Career Transition and Support Centre will provide tailored advice and assistance to agencies on arrangements for the referral of excess employees when internal redeployment options have been exhausted.

2. Agencies with staff who are excess (or potentially excess) will need to consider staff that require placement before undertaking the normal requirement for external advertising

There will be no recruitment freeze, but agencies need to give their highest priority to redeploying their staff to other higher priority areas, if there needs to be a reduction in staffing levels.
The Career Transition and Support Centre will provide advice as required on best practice recruitment approaches that involve the consideration of excess staff.

3. Agencies recruiting employees should give consideration to staff seeking redeployment opportunities from other agencies

The Career Transition and Support Centre will assist agencies as required with the provision of support services to excess employees and the facilitation of service-wide redeployment for Centre clients.
Agencies also to collaborate with other agencies and search the Branching Out register on APSjobs (www.apsjobs.gov.au).
If suitable, the person can move to their new agency within 4 weeks (provided it is not a promotion). In these cases, there is no requirement for advertising or merit selection.

4. Agency downsizing processes need to be clear and transparent, with strong communication and consultation with employees and their representatives

Agencies will need to develop a communication strategy for staff.
Agencies are encouraged to establish a key contact point early in the process to provide information and support to staff and facilitate collaboration between agencies.
The Career Transition and Support Centre will provide advice to agencies on appropriate communication strategies as required.

5. Agencies should make every effort to continue training and skills development

This is essential for the long term health of agencies and the APS as a whole.

6. Agencies should be cautious to ensure that downsizing does not unreasonably reduce thediversity of their workplaces

The downsizing of particular services or programmes may have a disproportionate impact on some groups of employees that are clustered within that area.
Where the take-up of VR packages or rates of other separation among particular groups (such as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander employees) appears disproportionately high, agencies should ensure that this has not been driven by a perceived failure to supply them with proper support or encouragement in the workplace.

7. Targeted Voluntary Retrenchment (VR) packages may be offered, with a view to retaining highly valued employees

VR packages can exacerbate budget shortfalls and should only be considered as a last resort. While agencies may need to shed staff, natural attrition may be sufficient to achieve savings requirements, particularly if early action is taken.
While there needs to be a fair process, this does not preclude agency heads ensuring that high performing employees are retained.
VR processes will need to be consistent with agencies’ workplace agreements.

8. Compulsory retrenchments should be avoided

While agencies must retain the capacity to terminate an excess employee without agreement, this is very much a last resort power.

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Redeployment principles