How Do I Rehire a Previously Terminated Employee?

To rehire a previously terminated employee, you first need to locate them in the terminated employee list, then run the reinstatement assistant to set their new start date and opening leave balances.

Desktop App

1. Go to the Employees tab and tick Show Terminated Employees? to make the terminated employee visible in the list.
2. Select the employee, then click Actions and choose Reinstate Employee. This opens the Reinstate Employee Assistant.
3. New Start Date ÔÇö Enter the employee's new start date. The date must be on or after the day after their termination date. Click Next to continue.
4. Leave Balances ÔÇö Set the opening leave balances for the rehired employee. The values shown are those recorded at termination. You can carry these forward or reset them. The three fields are:
   • Holiday Leave Balance
   • Sick Leave Balance
   • Long Service Leave Balance
   If the employee has been away for at least three months, entitlements can generally be reset to zero. If you are unsure, contact Fair Work Australia before making a change.
5. Summary ÔÇö Review the details, then click Finish to complete the reinstatement. The employee will be returned to active status with the new start date and the leave balances you entered.

Online (Web/Mobile) App

1. In the Employees section, select the terminated employee from the employee selector (terminated employees appear with a "Terminated" label).
2. Click Actions and choose Reinstate Employee.
3. On the Reinstate Employee screen, enter the employee's new Start Date and click Save Changes.

The online app reinstates the employee with the new start date. Leave balances can be reviewed and adjusted separately via the employee's leave screens after reinstatement.

Cannot Reinstate?

If the assistant displays a message that the employee cannot be reinstated, it is likely because their termination pay is part of a pay run that has not yet been processed. Process that pay run first, then attempt the reinstatement again. Alternatively, if the termination was entered in error, open the employee's current pay, untick Termination Pay?, and save.

For a general overview of reinstating an employee, see How Can I Reinstate A Terminated Employee?