Employers’ responsibilities
Employers must comply with the reasonable avenue of redress standard. Additionally, public service employers must comply with the Public Administration (Review of Actions) Regulations 2015.
Informal resolution of workplace issues
Public sector employers must encourage the parties to resolve workplace issues locally and informally before applying more formal local or external processes.
Employers may do this by incorporating informal processes into their policies and practices. This may include encouraging employees to.
- raise their issue with their manager, another manager or human resources in the first instance
- request formal feedback from the selection panel when they are the unsuccessful candidate
- request that a third party facilitate resolution of their concerns
- demonstrate their attempts to resolve their workplace issues informally before applying for a review or provide reasons why this is not appropriate in their circumstances.
Formal resolution of workplace issues
Employees may apply for a review. The Registrar determines whether the application will be accepted and provides advice and support to the parties involved.
If the Registrar accepts the application, the matter is referred to an independent review officer for review. The review officer may be an employee, a member of the VPSC Register of Review Officers or other independent contractor. They must not have been involved in the matter.
The review officer will gather evidence from each of the parties and prepare a report for the decision maker outlining their findings. The report is provided to both parties to ensure transparency in the decision-making process .
Explore review of actions guidance