Lost your job, or about to? See the whole road ahead.
Free, independent guides on redundancy, Work and Income and money, for people in Aotearoa.
Figures checked against Work and Income and Employment NZ.
Where are you on the road?
Pick your stop. We’ll show what to do there and what’s coming next.
A detour, not a dead end.
- Start hereJob at risk
- Start hereTold you’re redundant
Change here for the Work line: CV, job search, retraining
- Start hereLast day
Change here for the Money line: benefits and payments
- Start hereFirst weeks out of work
- Start hereBack into work
Start here: Job at risk
Get my plan from hereAt this stop
- You’ve just been told your job is at risk: what to do this weekA proposal is not a decision. Use the consultation time.
- Redundancy consultation step by stepWhat a fair process looks like, so you can spot when it isn’t.
- Money runwaySee your real timeline to first payment and how big the gap is.
Coming up
If the decision goes ahead: your notice, pay, compensation and what to check.
- Main route
- Money line: benefits and payments
- Work line: CV, job search, retraining
Deadlines on the road
Some clocks start whether you’re watching or not. These are the ones that catch people out. Each sign says what it’s counted from.
Final pay
Next payday
Final wages are due on your last day or by the next payday.
Your final pay explainedStand-down
1–2 weeks
Resigned or dismissed for misconduct? Up to 13 weeks.
Before Jobseeker Support starts. Then you’re paid a week in arrears.
Stand-down calculatorPersonal grievance
90 days
To raise it with your employer, from when the issue arose or came to your notice, whichever is later.
Work out your deadlineSexual harassment grievance
12 months
The window to raise a grievance about sexual harassment.
How to raise a grievanceEmployment Relations Authority
3 years
To lodge your grievance, counted from when you first raised it with your employer.
Deadlines in full
Mediation through Employment NZ is free. Figures last checked 27 October 2026.
Start with these
The four things most people need in their first days.
You've just been told your job is at risk: what to do this week
A proposal is not a decision. Your employer must consult you before deciding. Use that time: read the proposal, ask questions in writing, get advice (free), and quietly get your finances and CV ready. You can contact Work and Income before you've lost your job.
How to apply for Jobseeker Support after losing your job
Apply online through MyMSD as soon as you know your finish date. Maximum weekly rate for a single person 25+ is $372.55 after tax (from 1 April 2026). It's tested against your own and your partner's income, and the cash you're paid when your job ends can affect when payments start, so tell them exactly what you're getting. A stand-down of 1–2 weeks usually applies, and payment is made a week in arrears.
Your final pay explained (including the public holiday rule)
Final pay = wages worked + unused annual leave + 8% of gross earnings since your last anniversary + any other money owed (like redundancy compensation). If you have 12+ months' service, unused leave is treated as taken straight after your last day, so public holidays in that window must also be paid.
Help with urgent costs: grants, hardship and bills
You don't need to be on a benefit to get help with food, power, rent or an urgent bill. Call Work and Income on 0800 559 009 and ask specifically about Special Needs Grant, Temporary Additional Support and Accommodation Supplement.
Find help for what’s happening to you
Pick the line that sounds like you. Each one gathers the guides, tools and templates that fit.
Where are you right now?
- My job might be going (restructure proposal)Nothing is decided yet. Use the consultation period.
- I've been told I'm redundantNotice, pay, compensation and what to check.
- It's my last week or dayFinal pay, paperwork, references and your first calls.
- I've just lost my job (any reason)A calm first-week plan.
- I think it wasn't fairDeadlines, evidence and free help.
- My employer has gone underUnpaid wages, liquidators and what you can claim.
Money problems
- What payments can I get?Jobseeker, top-ups, grants and cards.
- I can't pay my billsPrioritise, negotiate, get hardship support.
- Rent or mortgage troubleLandlords, arrears and lender options.
- I got a payout, what now?Tax, runway, debt and KiwiSaver.
- Debt, loans and scamsAvoid the traps when you're stretched.
Getting back to work
Your circumstances
9 destinations
- I'm struggling emotionallyYou're not alone. Free help is available now.
- I have kids or a partner to supportPayments, childcare and talking to family.
- I'm on a visa or I'm a migrantVisa consequences, entitlements and exploitation.
- Kiwi coming home or living in AustraliaBenefits, KiwiSaver and tax across the Tasman.
- I'm 50 or olderAge bias, super and reskilling.
- I'm young (under 25)Youth support, study and first jobs.
- I have a health condition, disability or I'm a carerPayments and supported employment.
- Māori or Pacific peoples supportKaupapa Māori and Pacific services and pathways.
- Other circumstancesReturning to work, record, rainbow, military, English.
Your industry or region
5 destinations
- Public sector, health or educationCuts, redeployment and collective agreements.
- Construction, forestry, manufacturingIndustrial and trades job losses.
- Farming, meat and ruralSeasonal gaps and rural support.
- Tech, media, office, retail, hospitalitySector-specific advice.
- My regionLocal job markets and support.
Check the numbers yourself
Calculators that run in your browser. Nothing you type leaves your device.
| Calculator | What it tells you | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Final pay calculator | Estimate final pay: unused annual leave, 8% holiday pay, public holiday extension, alternative holidays and notice. | |
| Stand-down calculator | Work out your Work and Income stand-down and the earliest date your first Jobseeker payment could arrive. | |
| Money runway | How long will your savings and final pay last, including stand-down and the week in arrears? |
You are not doing this alone
“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.”
Every guide names its sources. There are no accounts, no ads and nothing is tracked. How we check our facts.
Spotted something wrong or missing? Email help@unemployed.nz.