Jobactive Guideline Eligibility, Referral and Commencement

jobactive guidelineEligibility, Referral and Commencement

Guideline:
Eligibility, Referral and Commencement

This Guideline outlines who is Eligible for jobactive Services, including as Fully Eligible, Volunteer or via Direct Registration and arrangements for jobseekers to be Referred and Commenced in an appropriate Stream as soon as possible. Providers provide job seekerswith appropriate Services, taking into account their individual circumstances, to assist them to find employment and move off Income Support Payments.

Effective from: 1July 17version 3.0Page 1 of 11

jobactive guidelineEligibility, Referral and Commencement

Version:3.0

Published on:9 June 2017

Effective from:1 July 2017

Effective from: 1July 17version 3.0Page 1 of 11

jobactive guidelineEligibility, Referral and Commencement

Changes from the previous version (Version 2.0)

Policy changes:

Updated eligibility requirements for Pre Release Prisoners

Added information about participants exiting from Transition to Work

Wording changes:

Re-written into new template

A full document history is available on the Provider Portal

1.Eligibility for jobactive Services

Eligibility for jobactive Services generally depends on the type of Income Support Payment ajob seekeris receiving.

TheEligibility Tablesidentify the main categories of job seekersbased on their individual circumstances and their eligibility for jobactive Services.

The Department may amend the eligibility for jobactive Services at any time.

For job seekers on Income Support, Eligibility is shown in the Department’s IT Systems, based on information entered by the Department of Human Services (DHS).

2.Referral by DHS

A job seekermay be initially Referred to a provider by the Department of Human Services (DHS) following:

the application of the Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI) or
an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt).

The job seekerwill be referred to Stream A, Stream B or Stream Cbased on the outcome of the job seeker’s JSCI or, where applicable, an ESAt. All Volunteers are referred to Stream A.

All job seekerswill be able to choose their provider when they first register with DHS for assistance. DHS has a list of providers in the job seeker’sEmployment Region (with sites mapped to the job seeker’s post code). This is supplied tojob seekers when they register with DHS. Job seekerscan also access additional information through Connections for Quality on the jobactive, powered by Australian JobSearchwebsite, to help them choose a provider.

Where a job seekerselects a provider, they will be Referred to that provider as long as:

the provider has sessions in their Electronic Diary available and
theprovider has not exceeded 130 per cent Business Share tolerance.

Where the job seeker does not select a provider for themselves, theywill be randomly allocated to a provider.

DHS will book an Appointment for the job seekerand notify them of the Appointment details.

Providers must have Electronic Diary timeslots available

Providers must have capacity to receive Appointments in their Electronic Diary within the next two Business Days to receive Referrals. Refer to the Managing and Monitoring Job Seeker Appointment Guideline.

(Deed references: Clauses 77.2 and 83.1)

Referral of a job seeker exiting from Transition to Workto jobactive

Transition to Work (TtW) Providers will refer a job seekerswith Mutual Obligation Requirements participating in the TtW service who isnearing the end of their 12 months in TtW and isnot tracking towards an outcome to jobactive Services. The TtWProviderwill identify jobactive Providers in the Employment Region and offer the job seeker a choice of provider, if applicable.

TheTtW provider must then organise and attend an initial planning meeting with the jobactive provider and the job seeker, to be held in the first week of the job seeker’s twelfth month in TtW. The purpose of this meeting isfor the jobactive provider to set out the expectations of participation injobactive Services and identify what type of activities are most appropriate for the job seekerin the Work for the Dole (WfD) phase.

At this point, theTtW Participanthas not been referred to jobactive Services.Therefore, a job seekerappointment cannot be made in the jobactive provider’s calendar. The jobactive provider will need to schedule/block out time for this meeting in their calendar.

TheTtWprovider will also organise the job seeker’s Initial Interview for jobactive Services to be held in the final week of the twelfth month. This is where the job seekeris Referred to jobactive Services by the TtW provider and exited from TtW.

Please note: TtWparticipants exiting from TtWafter six months and transitioning to jobactive will Commence in the WfD Phase of jobactive.

(Deed references: Clauses 69 and 70)

People not referred by DHS and Volunteers

Eligible individuals may elect to participate in jobactive Services without going to DHS and can Directly Register with ajobactive provider. The jobactiveprovider isresponsible for determining a person’s eligibility for Direct Registration and registering that person for Services. Refer to the Direct Registration Guideline.

People who are not subject to Mutual Obligation Requirements or who do not receive Income Support Payments may be eligible for jobactive Services as Volunteers for one period of up to six months. Refer to the Volunteers Guideline.

3.Preparing for all Appointments

When preparing for all Appointments, including the Initial Interview, providers must take into consideration whether the job seeker has any special requirements.

For example, when a participant requests or where the provider considers it appropriate, providers must use an Interpreter to ensure that the job seeker understands their requirements.

Providers should also deliver services to job seekers in a culturally sensitive way, based on details in the job seeker’s record in the Department’s IT Systems.

Authorised Nominees

The Department of Employment’s correspondence and notifications to a job seekerare also provided to thatjob seeker’sauthorised correspondence nominee/s: thisincludesinformation about their Mutual Obligation Requirements and the need to attend appointments and agreed activities. The nominee can, therefore, contact thejob seeker’sprovider if and when required to reschedule their appointment.

When the nominee rebooks appointments for the job seeker, the providershould work with the nominee to ensure the job seeker is aware of their Mutual Obligation Requirements and what may happen if the job seekerdoesn’t comply with them.

Best practice for the provider is to record details of the conversation with the nominee in the comments screen in the Department’s IT systems.

4.All new participants must have an Initial Interview

The provider must conduct an Initial Interview for all job seekers who:

were Referred by DHS
were Referred by a TtW provider
have Directly Registered for assistance (see Direct Registration Guideline)
havetransferred to the provider (see Transfer Guideline).

This includes:

developing and approving a Job Plan (see Managing and MonitoringMutual Obligation Requirements and Job Plan Guideline) and
providing and asking job seekersto sign the Privacy Notification and Consent Form.The Provider mustensurethatjob seekersareaware of the types of personal information they may be required to provide and how this information will be used and disclosed (see the Privacy Guideline).

Initial Interview when a job seeker changes Streams

Where a job seeker becomes eligible for a new Stream as a result of a JSCI Change of Circumstances Reassessment, the provider must conduct an Initial Interview.

Note: To ensure the currency of notification and consent, best practice is for providers to provide and ask thejob seeker to sign the Privacy Notification and Consent form every time the JSCI Change of Circumstances is conducted. A job seeker is not required to sign the Privacy Notification and Consent Form for an Initial Interview for a New Stream if they remain with the same provider.

Referral to ESAt as a result of Change of Circumstances Reassessment

In some instances, a job seeker may be referred to an ESAt after a JSCI Change of Circumstances Reassessment. If, as a result of the ESAt, the job seeker is referred to DES or TtW, the provider must continue to deliver Services to the job seekeruntil they have commenced in that program. Once the job seeker has commenced in the new program, they will be Exited fromjobactive Services. Refer toAssessments Guideline – Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI) and Employment Services Assessments (ESAt).

(Deed references: Clauses 79, 82, 85, 87)

5.Job seekers are automatically Commenced in the Department’s IT systems

A job seekeris automatically Commenced in the Department’s IT systems when the provider records attendance at the Initial Interview and the participant has an approved Job Plan.

A job seeker who changes Stream due to a Change of Circumstances Reassessment remains commenced in their previous Stream until the provider has undertaken an Initial Interview for the new Stream.

The provider must deliver Services in accordance with the Deed, Guidelines, Service Delivery Plan, Job Plan and job seeker’s circumstances once the job seeker is Commenced.

Vulnerable Youth or Vulnerable Youth (Student)

Following the immediate Direct Registration of a Vulnerable Youth or Vulnerable Youth (Student) who presents in crisis, providers must immediately provide or refer the young person to relevant crisis assistance. The support provided will depend on the nature of the crisis but could include assistance with emergency accommodation, counselling or other non-vocational support.

(Deed references: Clauses 78.3)

6.Administration Fees are calculated and paid automatically by the Department’s IT systems

Administration Fees are calculated and paid automatically by the Department’s IT Systems (clause 123) once the job seekeris Commenced and at the start of each Administration Fee Period thereafter. This system calculationincludes all pro-rata adjustments and 25per cent regional loading for administration of Services to participants in Regional Locations.

Providers are not required to submit a claim for payment. Administration Fee Tax Invoices will be automatically generated in the Department’s IT Systems and do not require acceptance before payment is made.

(Deed references: Clauses 123, 126, Annexure B2)

7.Services must be delivered to participants who return after Exiting

Where a job seeker Exits and returns to Services within 13 weeks of Exit, the provider must resume providing Services to a job seeker in accordance with the DeedWhen a job seeker returns to Services within 13 weeks or more after their date of Exit, they will need to be Commenced into Service as their contract Referral will have expired.

A new JSCI will need to be conducted prior to the provider delivering Services to the job seeker, as their previous JSCI will be inactive as a result of the Exit.

(Deed references: Clauses 95.3 and 95.4)

Summary of required Documentary Evidence

Direct Registration

Documentary evidence: The provider must record the job seeker’s registration information in the Department’s IT System.

Providers must retain a copy of the completed and signed jobactive—Direct Registration form. This form contains a range of personal information used to determine a job seeker’s eligibility for Direct Registration.

For a job seeker accessing Services through a Structural Adjustment Program, the provider must retain a copy of a redundancy letter or the employment separation certificate.

Job Plan

Documentary evidence: Where the job seeker has agreed to a Job Plan by signing a hard copy version, a copy must be retained by the provider.

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jobactive guidelineEligibility, Referral and Commencement

Eligibility in jobactive

The sections below are not mutually exclusive and sections of this table should be considered in combination according to participant individual circumstances.

For example, participants may be in receipt of Newstart Allowance, be Mature Age (55+) and have a Partial Capacity to Work; or be in receipt of Disability Support Pension, be a Vulnerable Youth and a Parent.

Please Note: People with a Partial Capacity to Work who are fully meeting their requirements through part-time paid employment or study and who do not have a requirement to remain connected to their Employment Provider may elect to participate in Employment Provider Services.

Fully Eligible / Eligible as a Volunteer (Stream A for six months) / Not Eligible
Newstart Allowance / Newstart Allowance Recipient
Parents / Parenting Payment recipient with participation requirements
Principal Carer parents who are fully meeting their requirements through part-time paid employment or study and who do not have a requirement to remain connected to their Employment Provider but may elect to participate in Employment Provider Services.
Note: Fully Eligible Participants who are fully meeting their part-time Mutual Obligation Requirements or are currently subject to a DHS-granted Exemption may voluntarily elect to participate in Employment Provider Services. If they choose to do so, they continue to be serviced as a Fully Eligible Participant and are not limited to six months in Stream A as a Volunteer. / Parenting Payment recipients without participation requirements
Parents (with a youngest child under six years old) in receipt of Parenting Payment (Partnered)/Parenting Payment (Single).
Disability Support Pension / Disability Support Pension recipient with compulsory requirements
Disability Support Pension recipients aged under 35 years with a work capacity of eight or more hours per week (without a youngest child under six years) will have compulsory activity requirements.
Disability Support Pension applicants and recipients subject to review (without compulsory requirements) undertaking a Program of Support (not eligible for Disability Employment Services or Community Development Programme)
Fully eligible for assistance while they undertake their Program of Support requirement provided they remain connected or do not Exit for more than 13 weeks.
Note: Fully Eligible Participants who do not remain connected or who complete their Program of Support may be eligible to access up to six months in Stream A as a Volunteer in the future. / Disability Support Pension recipients without compulsory requirements
Australian Disability Enterprises participant
Disability Pensioner (DVA)
Youth and students / Youth Allowance (other) recipient
Vulnerable Youth and Vulnerable Youth (Student)
Young people who are not in receipt of Income Support Payments aged 15 to 21 who are not working 15 hours or more per week, who are not in Full-time Study and who have at least one serious Non-vocational Barrier are eligible for immediate Stream C Services as a Vulnerable Youth. Ongoing assistance is subject to confirmation through an ESAt. If they are not eligible for Stream C, they may be eligible as a Volunteer.
Full-Time students aged 15 to 21 years who present in crisis and have at least one Non-vocational Barrier are eligible for immediate Stream C services as Vulnerable Youth (Student) if no appropriate youth services are available in the local area. Ongoing assistance is subject to having their eligibility for Stream C confirmed by an ESAt. / Full-time students seeking an apprenticeship or traineeship
Young people who are not in receipt of Income Support Payments who are under school-leaving age, including those under 17 years, are Eligible only if they have permission to leave school. / Youth Allowance (full-time Student) recipient
ABSTUDY recipient
Austudy recipient
Visa holders and migrants / New Zealand non-protected Special Category Visa holders eligible for Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance
New Zealand citizens who are non-protected Special Category Visa holders may be eligible to receive an Income Support payment for up to six months with the associated Employment Provider Services assistance if they have lived in Australia continuously for 10 years beginning on or after 26 February 2001. These Stream Participants are ineligible for the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme.
Nominated Visa Holders in receipt of Special Benefit
Nominated Visa Holders in receipt of Special Benefit have Mutual Obligation Requirements and are fully eligible for Services. / New Zealand non-protected Special Category Visa holders eligible for Sickness Allowance
New Zealand citizens who are non-protected Special Category Visa holders may be eligible to receive up to six months of Sickness Allowance if they have lived in Australia continuously for 10 years beginning on or after 26 February 2001 and will be eligible for servicing as a Volunteer.
Visa holders with working rights attached, not on income support, including temporary residents
With the exception of working holiday visas.
Migrants in a two year waiting period / Visa holders without working rights (including temporary residents)
Overseas visitors on working holiday visas
Eligible for Harvest Labour Services only
Special Benefit / Other Special Benefit recipients are fully eligible for Services however have voluntary requirements with their employment services provider.
Mature Age / Mature-age (aged 55 years and over) participants who are meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements and who may elect to participate in Employment Provider Services.
Note: Fully Eligible Participants who are fully meeting their part-time Mutual Obligation Requirements or are currently subject to a DHS-granted Exemption may voluntarily elect to participate in Employment Provider Services. If they choose to do so, they continue to be serviced as a Fully Eligible Participant and are not limited to six months in Stream A as a Volunteer.
Pre-release Prisoners / Pre-release Prisoners
Prisoners or detainees must be in the final 12 months of their sentence and be approved by corrective services or youth justice case managers. They must be prisoners or detainees aged 15 years and over (including those not in receipt of income support) who have been referred to an Employment Provider by state or territory corrective or youth justice services and Directly Registered by the Employment Provider.
Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) / Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) participants
Stream Participants who are identified with a SAP special client indicator
Other Income Support without Participation requirements / Participants in receipt of Income Support Payments without participation requirements
Carer Payment recipient, Carer Allowance recipient, Aged Pension recipient, Sickness Allowance recipient, Low Income Card holder, Bereavement Allowance recipient, Widow Allowance recipient, Farm Household Allowance recipient, Service Pensioner (DVA), Partner Service Pensioners (DVA), War Widow(er)s Pensioner (DVA), Rehabilitation Allowance recipient, Wife Pension (Age) recipient, Wife Pension (Disability) recipient,Widows B Pensioner, Partner Allowance recipient, Assistance for Isolated Children recipient, Child Care Assistance recipient, Double Orphan Pension recipient, Family Payment recipient, Mobility Allowance recipient
Not in receipt of Income Support / Participants not in receipt of Income Support Payments
Subject to them not being:
• full-time students
• working in paid employment for 15 hours or more per week and not on an Income Support Payment
• overseas visitors on working holiday visas or overseas students studying in Australia, or
• prohibited by law from working in Australia.
Australian Government Disaster Recovery payment / Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment recipient: except if they fall into any of the Fully Eligible or Volunteer categories
Workers Compensation / People receiving workers compensation

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