Redeployment Guide

SPEAK TO A NZ EMPLOYMENT LAWYER

1st Steps If You Have Roles Suitable

Prepare

Identify if there any redeployment opportunities? Prepare a list of positions and their Job Descriptions.

Identify

Identify which available roles would suit which of the employees are facing redundancy.

Offer

Offer available roles to affected employee for consideration.

What Redeployment Means in a Redundancy Process.

When restructuring or downsizing, one of the most important steps to consider is redeployment of affected, where possible. This means offering an employee another suitable role in your business when their own position has been disestablished. If there is a role they can reasonably perform — with their current skills or with reasonable training — the law expects you to offer it to them before ending their employment.

Redeployment matters because redundancy must be “genuine” under the Employment Relations Act 2000. Employers must show their decision is based on real business needs and that they have genuinely explored alternatives to dismissal. Considering redeployment is central to this duty, alongside the obligation to act in good faith by being open, proactive, and communicative with staff.

Redeployment is more than compliance — it also protects your business. Employees who are redeployed already understand your workplace, customers, and systems, which means they need less training and settle more quickly than new hires. Offering redeployment shows you value loyalty and fairness, helping to maintain morale during challenging times.

In short, redeployment is both a legal safeguard and a smart business decision.

Speak To Us Privately

Our Case Process

Detailed Planning

We start by establishing the facts, identifying the issue and explaining the legal bits so we can get started on solving your employment problem. We want you to have peace of mind from the beginning of your journey with us.

Consultation

Next, we discuss your expectations and any risks we think you are facing, evaluate all evidence and prepare an action plan so you get the best outcomes. We prepare you for what’s to come and what you can expect.

Settlement

In the last part of our process, we prepare you for attending any meetings and complete the outcome as cleanly and as quickly as we can. We strive to protect our clients and get you the best results.

Failing to consider redeployment is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes in a redundancy process.

If a suitable role exists but is not offered, the Employment Relations Authority may find the redundancy unjustified, leading to personal grievances, compensation, and legal costs.

The risks go further: ignoring redeployment damages trust, lowers morale, and harms your reputation, especially in smaller industries or communities.

Best practice means genuinely searching for roles, directly informing the employee, and offering any suitable position that matches their skills (or can be done with reasonable training). Document every step, including the roles reviewed and your consultation discussions.

Redeployment is not a box-ticking exercise — it safeguards your business, saves recruitment costs, and demonstrates fairness. Overlooking it is one of the fastest ways to lose a case; handling it properly shows true leadership during change. Resolve Legal is happy to talk to you further.

DISCUSS YOUR CASE

Get Legal Advice if You Are Seeking Legal Advice on Redeployment.

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