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I have been made redundant

When an employer no longer requires the tasks in your role to be undertaken by anyone, or the business goes broke, your job can be made redundant
Redundancy can be stressful, but United Workers’ Union negotiates with employers to support workers through this period. 

Redundancies must be genuine 
A redundancy is not genuine if:

    • You weren’t consulted about the redundancy.
    • You could have been redeployed into another role.
    • Your employer hires somebody else to do the same job after making you redundant.

Redundancy not genuine? You have 21 days to claim
If your redundancy is not genuine, it’s important to act quickly – we can only make an application to the Fair Work Commission within 21 days of the date you were made redundant.

If you’re facing a genuine redundancy 
You may be entitled to redundancy pay and notice of termination, plus accrued leave entitlements. Contact us and we can help you through the redundancy process.

What you will need

  • A description of what happened and the events leading up to your redundancy.
  • Copies of any documents sent to you by your employer (emails, letters and text messages).
  • Your notes from phone calls or meetings and dates they occurred.

Additional Resources

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UWU acknowledges that we meet and work on the unceded lands of First Nations peoples. We wish to pay respect to their Elders — past and present — and acknowledge the important role all First Nations peoples continue to play within Australia and in our union.

© United Workers Union 2026. All Rights Reserved.

Authorised by T. Kennedy, United Workers Union, 833 Bourke St, Docklands, VIC 3008

 

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