The complaint was filed by Leanne Mash, who was the council’s deputy chief executive, about the conduct of her boss, Sandy Graham.
Afterwards, Ms Mash was on leave for more than a year.
King’s Counsel Maria Dew investigated the complaint, but the council never publicly released the findings.
Ms Graham subsequently apologised and had taken steps to change, the council said in a statement last year.
Last month, the council restructured its executive leadership team, disestablishing two roles.
The deputy chief executive role was not part of the new structure.
In a statement, Ms Graham said the new structure was aimed at making the organisation more efficient and "best placed to respond to changes facing our sector".
"The new streamlined structure reduces the number of general managers from eight to six and will deliver savings of approximately $550,000 a year," she said.
The Otago Daily Times asked if Ms Mash’s redundancy was a bad look for the council and if it amounted to unfair dismissal.
Ms Graham said her focus and that of her leadership team, was on ensuring the council was efficient and agile.
The council had received external advice about the changes and all staff were consulted, she said.
"The process we’ve followed has been robust throughout."
Ms Graham confirmed another position that sat outside the executive leadership team — the vacant chief of staff role — had also been disestablished.
New Dunedin city councillor Andrew Simms said he thought the timing of the restructure would "raise some eyebrows", as it came before the new council was sworn in.
Ms Graham said it coincided with the start of the new term and "we’ll be well placed to work together and deliver the kind of progress our community expects over the next three years".
"Despite the relentlessly negative media coverage, my focus is now on moving forward," she said.
Ms Graham has been the council’s chief executive since 2020, when she signed a five-year contract.
In April, the council decided to extend the contract by a year.
It is due to expire, or be renewed, in October next year.
Ms Dew’s report was completed last year, but most councillors did not see it.
A decision-making committee of three members received the report and decided on behalf of the council how to respond to it.
