Guide · updated November 2026
Was it a genuine redundancy?
A genuine redundancy isn't unfair dismissal. It's genuine only if the job is no longer needed, any award or agreement consultation obligations were met, and redeployment within the business or related businesses wasn't reasonable.
Signs it may not be genuine
- Someone else is now doing your job
- You weren't consulted as your award or agreement requires
- There were other suitable roles you could have done
- It followed soon after a complaint or conflict
If it wasn't genuine, you may be able to claim unfair dismissal, or general protections if a protected reason was involved.
Free help and official information: Fair Work Commission: unfair dismissal · Fair Work Commission: legal help and representation (including the free Workplace Advice Service) · Legal Aid NSW: termination of employment · Fair Work Ombudsman: ending employment
Check your deadline and your case, free
FairGo Work calculates your exact last day to lodge, checks your eligibility and case strength, then builds your Form F2 answers and prepares you for conciliation.
Check my deadline Build my claimMore: The 21-day deadline for unfair dismissal · Who can claim unfair dismissal? · Unfair dismissal or general protections? · How much compensation for unfair dismissal? · Conciliation: what to expect · Filling in Form F2 · The Small Business Fair Dismissal Code · Forced to resign: when it counts as dismissal