Closing one site needs a checked view of possible work elsewhere

The location closes but the organisation has other work

A hypothetical company plans to close one workshop while another location remains operating. A manager assumes every workshop employee must leave because the local jobs disappear. Before making that conclusion, give the employment adviser an accurate picture of other available work. The closure decision and the assessment of possible redeployment are related questions that require their own information.

Identify actual roles and duties

Ask the appropriate managers for current vacancies and other relevant work, with duties, location, hours and requirements. Record what is confirmed rather than promising positions that may not exist. Include information about associated businesses for the adviser where relevant. A list of job titles is not enough to assess whether a particular opportunity is a realistic option for an affected employee.

Get the reasonableness question assessed

Fair Work Ombudsman's redundancy guidance explains that reasonable redeployment within the employer's business or an associated entity can matter to whether a dismissal is a genuine redundancy. Seek advice on the particular circumstances. This article does not decide that any vacancy must be accepted, that every employee is entitled to a role, or that a different location automatically makes an option unsuitable.

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman: Redundancy

Discuss the practical differences accurately

In the hypothetical example, a role at the other location may involve different travel, hours or tasks. Provide accurate details through the advised consultation process and consider the employee's relevant circumstances. Do not summarise an incomplete discussion as a refusal of a suitable offer. Preserve what was proposed, what questions were asked and what information remained outstanding.

Keep alternatives and final decisions distinct

If a possible role is being investigated, identify who will confirm its details and when the next discussion is expected. Avoid leaving the employee with a vague assurance that something will be found. Have any proposed change to employment terms reviewed and documented appropriately. The business should understand the actual arrangement before changing payroll or treating a transfer as complete.

Record the assessed outcome

Keep the options considered and the resulting advice with the closure file, using appropriate access controls. Coordinate with any insolvency practitioner where relevant and avoid commitments beyond the business's authority or funding. CRP can help organise the wider financial picture. A supported decision considers the work that actually exists elsewhere, instead of treating the closed site's address as the entire answer.