FAQs: Renew ANU

The University is committed to consulting with staff and the union/s in accordance with the organisational change provisions under Clauses 69 and 70 of the Enterprise Agreement. In doing so, the University will give genuine consideration to matters raised about the change by affected staff and staff appointed or union representatives. Following the consultation process, the University will issue an implementation paper to staff and the union/s. All feedback should be submitted to: org.change@anu.edu.au.

A copy of these two reviews can be accessed here: 

• 2022 review of Teaching Support Services, and 
• 2024 Assurance Review of the Learning and Teaching Value Stream

The University's highest priority is the health, wellbeing and safety of our community. We aim to provide our community with support so we can help each other get through this challenging time.

Staff and their family members can access free support and counselling through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which can be reached on 1800 808 374 (this number operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week).

Staff can also contact the ANU Advisers to Staff who provide free, confidential and professional counselling and advice to staff on-campus in dealing with work-related or personal issues that may be affecting their work.

These services are available to us all and can help provide you with advice about the things that you can do to help support you during times of change.

See also this list of support services.

Yes, you can provide feedback by emailing org.change@anu.edu.au by the closing date shown in the plan. Please clearly indicate which change plan you are commenting on in the title of your email.

Final outcomes will be communicated to affected staff after consultation for the change plan closes, and before the release of an implementation plan, which is the next stage in the change process. Until then, you should continue to perform your usual role.

There is a two- week consultation period after release of the change plan, unless otherwise indicated. The University will be reviewing the feedback after the closing date and preparing an implementation plan which summarises the feedback and sets out the final structure and impacts. The release of an implementation is usually no later than three weeks after consultation closes.

Yes, the unions have been briefed and will also be provided with a copy of the change proposal and have the opportunity to provide feedback.

The following payments apply to continuing staff covered by the Enterprise Agreement, whose positions are made redundant and who are not redeployed into an alternate role following a 12-week period of redeployment and the relevant notice period (Clause 57 of the Agreement): 

• For academic staff: a redundancy payment of three weeks’ salary for each year of service with a minimum payment of five weeks’ pay and maximum of 68 weeks’ pay; and 

• in recognition of the longer lead time for academic recruitment and engagement, an Academic Employment Transition Payment of up to 16 weeks’ salary for academic staff, provided that the total of the redundancy payment for academic staff does not exceed 78 weeks (excluding accrued annual and long service leave). 

• For professional staff: a redundancy payment of three weeks’ salary for each year of service with a minimum payment of five weeks’ pay and maximum of 64 weeks’ pay. 

• All staff: payment of accrued annual leave and long service leave.

Please email org.change@anu.edu.au if you would like to review an estimate of a potential redundancy payment. Please note this is only applicable to continuing staff. If you are a fixed term employee and you want to know more about your potential entitlements, please contact your local HR Manager for further advice.

The option for redundancy would be available to continuing staff whose positions are confirmed surplus at the implementation stage of the change. If your role is declared surplus at this stage, you will receive written notification of this from People and Culture and would have the option at that point to express interest in redundancy.

For continuing staff whose positions have been declared redundant, a redeployment process will be initiated which aims to assist staff in being redeployed into a suitable alternate position within the University during a 12 week redeployment period, where such positions are available.

During this 12-week period, staff will need to apply for positions and go through merit based selection processes. If at the end of the 12 weeks the staff member has not been redeployed into a suitable alternate position, the staff member will be provided with relevant notice that employment with the University will cease, and the staff member will receive a redundancy payment at the end of the notice period. For those staff covered by the Enterprise Agreement this is set out in Clause 57 of the Agreement.

Where the University cannot identify a suitable alternative position, the staff member may elect to seek redeployment to other positions, including positions at a lower classification. If a staff member is successful in obtaining a position by demonstrating that they meet the selection criteria and agree to being transferred into the role, the staff member may be redeployed into a lower classified position. Where a staff member agrees to be redeployed to a position with a lower classification, salary maintenance of up to 26 weeks for professional staff and up to 12 months for academic staff may be paid at the pre-transfer salary rate.

This depends on the type of fixed term contract. Individual advice will be provided on entitlements if the contract is terminated early at the time the change is implemented. If you have any immediate questions about your contract, please contact your local HR Practitioner.

All staff will continue to receive information regarding any proposed changes to their local area and position, regardless of whether they are on extended leave (or not). If any staff that are currently on extended leave and their position is made redundant, they will be formally notified in writing and provided with all relevant information. The University will work with staff directly in regard to options, which include offering redeployment opportunities, working around leave dates or responding to any requests from staff for an early separation.

If a staff member’s substantive continuing position is made redundant, they will be formally notified and the University will work with the staff member on redeployment opportunities and other options. Depending on the end date of the temporary transfer, this date may have to be reviewed and adjusted if a staff member is successful in being permanently redeployed into a suitable alternate role during the formal redeployment process. The University will work with both local areas to finalise an outcome. If a staff member is not successful in being redeployed into a suitable alternate role during the formal redeployment timeframe, the staff member will be provided with formal notice that their employment with the University will terminate at the end of notice period and the staff member will receive a redundancy package. If this date is prior to the expiration of the temporary transfer, the temporary transfer will expire early.

If the temporary transfer position is made redundant, the University will work with staff on options. Dependent on the end date of the temporary transfer, there may be an opportunity to return to the staff member’s substantive position early, however this is not guaranteed - especially if the substantive position has been backfilled. Alternate temporary transfer opportunities can be explored until such time that the staff member can return to their substantive role, however a vacancy would need to exist for this to be facilitated.

Voluntary redundancies are not being considered at this time, except for staff whose positions may directly affected. The Executive is having live and ongoing conversations and will provide updates as soon as possible.