2. Assessments

Supporting Documents for this Chapter

Supporting Documentssign-in required (sign-in required)

• Assisting Participants in Crisis Fact Sheet

Job Seeker Snapshot

• Explanation of Job Seeker Snapshot Questions

• Job Seeker Snapshot Overview and Factors Fact Sheet

• Job Seeker Snapshot Off-line Form

Employment Services Assessment (ESAt)

• Provider Actions – Program Summary

• Verification of medical conditions form (SU684)

• Medical Evidence Required for Making an ESAt Referral Provider Fact Sheet

• ESAt requirements for Inclusive Employment Australia

2.1 Chapter Overview Copy citation · §2.1

Assessments are an important tool to understand a Participant’s individual needs and to support tailoring of Services. This Chapter outlines information related to the Job Seeker Assessment Framework and Provider responsibilities for specific assessments. Providers are encouraged to consider other forms of assessment where appropriate to support tailoring of support to Participants.

Assessments related to the Job Seeker Assessment Framework are:

• Job Seeker Snapshot

• Employment Services Assessments (ESAts), and

• Ongoing Support Assessments (OSA).

Other specific assessments outlined in this Chapter are:

• Skills Assessment

• Workplace Modification Services (WMS) Assessment, and

• Supported Wage System (SWS) Assessment.

Providers are also expected to undertake:

• functional capacity evaluation, physical assessment or other assessments to determine the Participant’s needs, abilities or limits, and

• any other assessment they have that is reliable that would assist with identifying appropriate supports for a Participant.

Providers must consider the results of any assessments, to ensure that the supports and services they provide align with the Participant’s:

• assessed current baseline work capacity and future work capacity with intervention

• type and nature of disability, injury, or health condition

• strengths, skills, experience, and aspirations, and

• Vocational and Non-Vocational Barriers.

This Chapter does not include Compliance-related assessments (i.e. the Capability Interview and Capability Assessment). Details related to these assessments can be found in Chapter 12: Compliance.

Note: In these Guidelines, the term ‘ESAt’ also includes any relevant Job Capacity Assessment (JCA). A JCA is an assessment conducted for a person who is applying for DSP. Information about the JCA can be found in the Social Security Guide — see 1.1.J.10 Job capacity assessment (JCA) | Social Security Guide.

2.2 Job Seeker Assessment FrameworkCopy citation · §2.2

The Job Seeker Assessment Framework informs Participants of the employment services they are eligible for and supports them in making relevant choices. The Job Seeker Assessment Framework is intended to be ongoing and dynamic, to support Participant disclosure and engagement, and to minimise reporting duplication for Participants.

A person’s circumstances must be assessed through the Job Seeker Snapshot, and where relevant an ESAt, to ensure they are referred to an appropriate employment service with suitable supports. If the person:

• registers with Services Australia, these assessments are conducted before the person is Referred to Inclusive Employment Australia, or

• Directly Registers with the Provider, the Provider is responsible for ensuring that required assessments are undertaken. The Provider is also responsible for updating the Job Seeker Snapshot when there is a change of circumstances.

An ESAt report will include:

• an employment service referral recommendation – to Inclusive Employment Australia or another employment service, and

• the person’s choice of Provider if they have indicated a preferred Provider.

Throughout these Guidelines are references to a Participant’s ‘assessed work capacity’. Assessed work capacity is determined by the ESAt and is:

• the higher of a Participant’s current baseline work capacity and future work capacity with intervention, or

• if relevant, a Participant’s temporary reduced work capacity.

2.3 Job Seeker Snapshot and Job Seeker Classification InstrumentCopy citation · §2.3

The Job Seeker Snapshot is a questionnaire completed by Services Australia or the Provider. The results of the Job Seeker Snapshot will inform the Participant of the employment services that they are eligible for and supports them in making relevant choices. It includes questions that determine the Participant’s Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI) score and helps identify if the Participant requires an ESAt.

If the Job Seeker Snapshot identifies that further assessment is needed, the Provider should consider if this is required. If further assessment is needed, the person can be referred to Services Australia for an ESAt. The ESAt can result in the person being Referred to Inclusive Employment Australia. For further information, see the Job Seeker Snapshot Overview and Factors Fact Sheetsign-in required (sign-in required).

Note: The JSCI is a statistical tool that determines a Participant’s risk of becoming long-term unemployed. The JSCI score is not used in Inclusive Employment Australia, however information from the Job Seeker Snapshot will help determine the Funding Level that is assigned for an Inclusive Employment Australia Participant, see Chapter 11: Payments to Providers for more information. Performance and Payments are informed by broader Participant characteristics, including information in the ESAt.

2.3.1 Conducting the Job Seeker SnapshotCopy citation · §2.3.1

If a Participant does not have a completed Job Seeker Snapshot or has an inactive Job Seeker Snapshot upon Referral, the Provider must conduct the Job Seeker Snapshot with the Participant.

A Provider must also review the Participant’s Job Seeker Snapshot during each Capability Interview — refer to Section 12.4.7 Capability Interviews.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 113.1(i), 113.5(b), 139.9(b))

The Job Seeker Snapshot is conducted in the Department’s IT Systems. Providers can use an interim Job Seeker Snapshot Off-line Formsign-in required (sign-in required), available on the Provider Portal, to record responses if the Department’s IT Systems are temporarily unavailable. Any information obtained this way must be recorded in the Department’s IT Systems as soon as possible.

If a Provider needs to conduct a Job Seeker Snapshot, the Provider must ensure:

• the Job Seeker Snapshot is conducted privately and in a professional, disability inclusive, culturally appropriate manner

• the Participant has given their consent for the Provider to collect and use the Sensitive Information collected through the Job Seeker Snapshot (refer to Part A Guidelines: Chapter 6: Privacysign-in required (sign-in required))

• an interpreter (including Auslan) is provided when requested by the Participant

• the Participant understands they may have a support person of their choice with them

• the Participant is informed their responses to the questions will not affect their payments in any way and that the questions are designed to ensure they receive the Services and support best suited to their needs

• the Participant is encouraged to provide open and honest responses to all questions so that Providers can deliver tailored Services to best meet the Participants needs, and

• the Participant understands some of the questions in the Job Seeker Snapshot are voluntary questions and the Provider will inform the Participant if a question is voluntary before the question is asked.

Evidence requirement — Where a Participant provides documentation to support their answers in the Job Seeker Snapshot, it is good practice for the Provider to keep a copy of this document, where appropriate.

If a Participant discloses a need for crisis assistance or other support, the Provider should refer them to appropriate services. Please refer to the Assisting Participants in Crisis Fact Sheetsign-in required (sign-in required) on the Provider Portal for further details.

Services Australia may also assist with Social Work referrals, child support payments and crisis payments.

The Provider may, at any time, record changes in the Participant’s personal circumstances (for example a loss of licence) or include new information (for example education attainment) in a Participant’s record by updating the Job Seeker Snapshot. Providers must update the Job Seeker Snapshot with the change of circumstances within 5 Business Days of the Provider becoming aware of the change in circumstances.

Timely updating is important as the change may result in Change of Circumstance ESAt and/or have implications for the Participant’s participation requirements as outlined in Chapter 5: Participation requirements.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 16.6, 147.1)

System step — Providers must record a detailed description of the changes in the Participant’s circumstances that triggered the need to conduct the update in the appropriate field at the end of the Job Seeker Snapshot in the Department's IT Systems.

The Job Seeker Snapshot may recommend a person has a further assessment through an ESAt. If a change of circumstances is likely to change a person’s assessed work capacity or employment services referral recommendation from the previous ESAt, then a referral for a Change of Circumstances ESAt should be actioned, even if the Job Seeker Snapshot did not identify the need for further assessment.

2.4 Employment Services AssessmentCopy citation · §2.4

An ESAt is an assessment of a person’s medical evidence and other relevant circumstances by a Services Australia Health or Allied Health Professional.

The ESAt:

• considers the person’s circumstances, including evidence from medical professionals

• determines how many hours per week the person can work, including both their:

  • current baseline work capacity (how many hours the person can currently work), and

  • future work capacity with intervention (how many hours the person may be able to work within the next 2 years with recommended interventions)

• identifies Vocational and Non-Vocational Barriers

• recommends Interventions and supports, and

• recommends the most appropriate employment program for the person.

The ESAt will inform eligibility for Referral to some Specific Cohort Providers.

In addition, Services Australia may use the ESAt to inform decisions about eligibility for payments or allowances, such as Mobility Allowance or Youth Disability Supplement.

Information about ESAts can be found in the Social Security Guide — see 1.1.E.104 Employment services assessment (ESAt) | Social Security Guide.

Information for Participants about ESAts can be found on the Services Australia website. This includes information about the impact of ESAt on Income Support Payments.

Note: In these Guidelines, a 'Current' ESAt means an ESAt that has been completed within the last 2 years. A 'Valid' ESAt means an ESAt that was conducted at any time, and the person has not had a significant change of circumstances that would make the ESAt invalid.

System step — Providers can view relevant ESAt information via the ‘Servicing and Eligibility’ screen of the Participant’s record on the Department’s IT Systems.

2.4.1 When is an ESAt required?Copy citation · §2.4.1

An ESAt is required if the person:

• is a new Participant who does not have a Current and Valid ESAt recommending Inclusive Employment Australia (or the former DES program), subject to certain exceptions as outlined in Section 2.4.2 When is an ESAt not required?

• is returning to Inclusive Employment Australia more than 13 weeks after their Exit and does not have a Current and Valid ESAt recommending Inclusive Employment Australia (or the former DES program), subject to certain exceptions as outlined in Section 2.4.2 When is an ESAt not required?

• is a DSP Recipient or a NDIS participant without an ESAt — refer to Section 2.4.3 ESAt requirements for DSP recipients and NDIS participants, or

• has a significant change in circumstances requiring a New ESAt — see details on Change of Circumstance ESAt outlined below.

A Provider may need to refer a Participant for an ESAt as part of the Direct Registration process.

Where a Provider disagrees with the outcomes of an ESAt, they may query this with Services Australia – see Section 2.4.7 Actioning the outcomes of the ESAt report.

The Provider must ensure that the Participant has any necessary information and documents and provides them to Services Australia before the ESAt is requested. An ESAt cannot be conducted without primary medical evidence (see Section 2.4.4 Medical evidence for ESAts). If there has been a significant change of circumstances, new medical evidence should be provided to support the ESAt referral.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 106.3, 107.1, 107.2, 108.1, 147.1, 154.5, 154.6)

ESAts requirements for Pre-Release Prisoners

As noted in Section 1.3.5 Pre-Release Prisoners, Providers must Directly Register Pre-Release Prisoners (PRP) who meet the eligibility criteria as a PRP Participant.

Providers must check if the PRP has a Current and Valid ESAt. The Provider should notify the corrective or youth justice service where a PRP requires an ESAt. The corrective or youth justice service must be involved in the process and must agree to the referral for an ESAt.

The Provider is responsible for coordinating with the corrective or youth justice service, the Participant and Services Australia to ensure an ESAt is completed. This includes:

• establishing when the Participant is available to participate in the ESAt

• supporting the Participant to source and provide medical evidence to Services Australia (see 2.4.4 Medical evidence for ESAts)

• contacting Services Australia to request an ESAt and book an appointment (see 2.4.5 Requesting an ESAt appointment)

• notifying the corrective or youth justice service of the ESAt appointment details, and

• continuing to liaise with all parties until the ESAt is completed, including coordinating any rescheduling requirements.

Change of Circumstance ESAt

A Change of Circumstances ESAt may be required if the Participants change of circumstances is likely to impact on their assessed work capacity or employment services referral recommendation. This may include:

• there is a new medical condition that impacts the Inclusive Employment Australia Participant’s functional ability

• there is a significant change to the functional impact of the Participant’s medical condition(s), and/or

• the ESAt does not reflect the Participant’s current barriers or circumstances.

A referral for an ESAt must be of genuine benefit to the Participant and should not be requested if the identified barriers:

• will not have a significant impact on the Participant’s ability to work or participate in other activities, including Inclusive Employment Australia, or

• are being actively addressed by the Provider or other services.

Providers are required to complete the Program Summary within 5 Business Days of requesting a Change a Circumstance ESAt. Providers must complete the Program Summary as outlined in the Provider Actions – Program Summarysign-in required (sign-in required) supporting document on the Provider Portal.

The Program Summary provides Services Australia and the ESAt Assessor with information on the Participant’s progress in Inclusive Employment Australia, including their achievements and barriers to achieving and/or maintaining sustainable Employment.

System step — Providers must enter or edit comments included as part of the ‘using comment’ functionality in the Program Summary on the Department’s IT Systems (see Adding, Viewing and Editing a Comment in Program Summary task card). The ESAt Assessor will have access to view all comments in the Program Summary.

2.4.2 When is an ESAt not required?Copy citation · §2.4.2

An ESAt is not required if the person is:

• a Participant commencing a new Period of Service in Inclusive Employment Australia who has a Current ESAt (within the last 2 years) that is still Valid and recommends Inclusive Employment Australia (or the former DES program) — see Section 2.4.3 ESAt requirements for DSP recipients and NDIS participants for exceptions to this rule

• an Eligible School Leaver (ESL) Participant — see Section 1.3.1 Eligible School Leavers

• a Special Class Client (SCC) Participant — see Section 1.3.2 Special Class Clients

• an Ongoing Support (Work Assist) Participant — see Section 1.3.6 Ongoing Support (Work Assist) Participants

• a DSP recipient or NDIS participant that has a Valid ESAt, regardless of when it was conducted — see Section 2.4.3 ESAt requirements for DSP recipients and NDIS participants

• a Participant who returns to Inclusive Employment Australia within 13 weeks and there has been no significant change to their circumstances that is likely to impact on their assessed work capacity or employment services referral recommendation

• a Participant (Mutual Obligation) is Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements via an approved Activity, or

• a Participant (Mutual Obligation) or DSP Recipient (Compulsory Requirements) who is expected to be granted an Exemption from their participation requirements for an extended period and are unlikely to benefit from an ESAt being conducted while the Exemption is current.

2.4.3 ESAt requirements for DSP recipients and NDIS participantsCopy citation · §2.4.3

If a DSP recipient and/or NDIS participant has had a previous ESAt (including a JCA) they can immediately Commence in Inclusive Employment Australia. This includes ESAts that are more than 2 years old (i.e. does not need to be a Current ESAt).

The previous ESAt can be used to commence a DSP Recipient and/or NDIS participant in Inclusive Employment Australia, if the baseline work capacity and future work capacity with intervention are less than 30 hours per week, regardless of the referral recommendation. This includes referral recommendations to Inclusive Employment Australia, former disability employment services (including the DES program), other employment services or a recommendation of ‘unable to benefit’.

If the DSP recipient or NDIS participant has had a significant change in circumstances since the previous ESAt, that may change their assessed work capacity, a new ESAt should be requested.

A DSP recipient or NDIS participant can choose to remain in Inclusive Employment Australia if they wish to, even if a Change of Circumstances ESAt recommends a different employment service. This applies to DSP recipients and/or NDIS participants who have Mutual Obligation Requirements, compulsory participation requirements or are participating voluntarily.

2.4.4 Medical evidence for ESAtsCopy citation · §2.4.4

Providers must ensure that a person has appropriate medical evidence supporting their medical condition(s).

Medical evidence is required because:

• Services Australia cannot assess that a person has a Partial Capacity to Work (PCW) unless there is evidence of a verified condition that has been diagnosed by a person’s treating medical practitioner, and

• a person is eligible for Inclusive Employment Australia only if they are assessed as having a PCW. That is, the ESAt must assess the person is not able to work for 30 hours or more per week.

Providers can help to make an ESAt operate effectively and as scheduled by:

• advising the person of the need for medical evidence

• checking what medical evidence the person has supplied to Services Australia

• supporting the person to supply medical evidence to Services Australia before requesting the ESAt, and

• helping the person obtain new medical evidence, if needed.

Medical evidence for ESAts can be prepared and collated on behalf of the participant by a medical practitioner, registered nurse, nurse practitioner or a registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner. If a Participant is in the Intensive Service and waiting to obtain medical evidence, the Provider (in consultation with the Participant) may decide to move the Participant to the Flexible Service until the ESAt is completed.

Forms of medical evidence

Primary medical evidence must be available to support an ESAt referral. Primary evidence does not need to be complex and can be provided in any format.

Primary medical evidence must contain:

• the diagnosis — i.e. the medical condition(s) affecting the Participant

• details of the medical practitioner who made the diagnosis, and

• sufficient information for the ESAt assessor to assess how the medical condition(s) affect the person’s capacity to work or take part in other activities.

The Verification of medical conditions form (SU684) can be used to help collect the medical evidence needed. Providers can print this form and give it to the person to take to their next appointment with their medical practitioner.

Supporting medical evidence can also be considered in an ESAt. Supporting evidence may contain information that provides context and additional details but cannot be used instead of the primary medical evidence.

Providing medical evidence

A person can securely upload their medical evidence online via Services Australia digital services. Digital services may include the person using their Centrelink online account or the Express Plus Centrelink Mobile app. Information on how to do this is available on the Services Australia website.

If a person can access digital services, they should be encouraged to do so wherever possible.

If a person cannot access digital services:

• the Participant can submit documents at their local Services Australia service centre

• a copy of documents can be posted to:

  Services Australia
  Disability Services
  PO Box 7806
  CANBERRA BC ACT 2610, and

• the Provider can fax the evidence on the person’s behalf to 1300 786 102, ensuring the person’s name and Customer Reference Number are clearly written and visible.

Providers must not attempt to email the medical evidence to Services Australia.

If every reasonable effort has been made to support the person but medical evidence is still not available, Providers should contact Services Australia.

In exceptional circumstances, Services Australia may be able to refer the person to an appropriately qualified health professional within the agency who can assess the impacts of an Intellectual Disability or a suspected mental health condition (e.g. Psychosis). This assessment can then be used as primary medical evidence for an ESAt.

For further information on medical evidence for ESAts see the Medical Evidence Required for Making an ESAt Referral Provider Fact Sheetsign-in required (sign-in required) on the Provider Portal.

2.4.5 Requesting an ESAt appointmentCopy citation · §2.4.5

Providers can request an ESAt appointment by sending an email to Services Australia’s FOCUS Response Team, at FOCUS.RESPONSE.TEAM@servicesaustralia.gov.au.

Providers must take due care to ensure that they only include as much information about a Participant as is needed for Services Australia to arrange an ESAt. Protected or Sensitive Information must not be included in any emails to Services Australia. This includes information or an opinion about a Participant’s medical conditions or medical evidence.

To ensure an ESAt request can be processed, Providers must include the following details in their request. An optional template is available underneath the table below to use in the email request.

Details required in ESAt request

Providers should ensure the email they send to request the ESAt always includes:

• Participant’s JSID or CRN

• Participant’s State / Territory

• Reason for Referral

• Interpreter Language, and

• Special Contact Considerations.

ESAts are conducted as phone assessments by default. If a face-to-face ESAt is required, Providers should include this in the ESAt request email. If a face-to-face ESAt cannot be accommodated on site, a videoconference ESAt may be conducted. Providers must advise Services Australia when requesting an ESAt, if relevant, if a Participant has displayed or threatened violent behaviour, as indicated by a Serious Incident Report (see Chapter 13: Servicing Participants with challenging behaviours).

If Services Australia determines that an ESAt appointment is appropriate, the FOCUS Response Team will respond within 2 Business Days to confirm if the request is appropriate and if the ESAt will proceed.

Services Australia will prioritise the ESAt request based on the Participant’s needs. Services Australia will contact the Provider again once the ESAt appointment is booked so the Provider is aware of the appointment details.

Providers should contact the FOCUS Response Team on 1800 110 608:

• if the FOCUS Response Team does not respond within 2 Business Days, or

• for all urgent enquiries (for example, highly vulnerable Participants).

2.4.6 Preparing a person for the ESAtCopy citation · §2.4.6

When a Provider refers a person to an ESAt appointment, the Provider must advise the person of the following:

• the reason for the ESAt

• that the ESAt is an interview to assess their work capacity and/or their eligibility for specialist employment services assistance

• the importance of disclosing all their barriers to employment at the ESAt appointment

• the importance of providing any new or further medical evidence via their Centrelink online account prior to the appointment

• that they can have an interpreter, nominee, advocate and/or support person (such as a medical practitioner, counsellor, Family Member, carer(s), support worker or NDIS provider) present to assist them, and

• if applicable, that they may be referred to a different service after the assessment that better meets their needs.

Services Australia will review the ESAt request to determine if an ESAt is required. If there is information missing, or an ESAt is not required, Services Australia will reply to the Provider via email to let them know.

System step — When Services Australia books an ESAt appointment, they will send the Participant notification of the appointment details, including the contact number if they want to reschedule the appointment. The Provider will be alerted to the ESAt appointment in the Department’s IT Systems.

When ESAt appointment has been scheduled in the Participant’s Electronic Calendar, the Provider must confirm with the person:

• the date and time of the ESAt appointment

• that they are to contact the Services Australia using the contact information available on their appointment notification at least 24 business hours before the appointment time if they cannot attend

• if the Participant has Mutual Obligation Requirements, that attendance at the ESAt is compulsory and if they do not attend, their Income Support Payments may be suspended — the Department’s IT Systems will trigger a notification of the requirement to attend

• the reasons for the ESAt including the importance of collecting information about their circumstances so they get support that matches their needs and capability, and

• the need for full disclosure when discussing barriers to employment to ensure they receive the most appropriate assistance.

2.4.7 Actioning the outcomes of the ESAt reportCopy citation · §2.4.7

When the ESAt assessor submits the ESAt report, it will appear on the Department’s IT Systems with a status of ‘submitted.’

A submitted ESAt takes effect immediately.

As the Current ESAt, it may:

• establish or update the Participant’s current baseline work capacity and/or future work capacity with intervention, that is used to determine their:

  • Employment Benchmark, and

  • Mutual Obligation Requirements or compulsory participation requirements, if applicable

• recommend a temporary reduced work capacity, including the duration of the temporary reduction

• make a referral recommendation, for the employment services the person is eligible to access, and

• support a Referral to a Provider of the person’s choice. For Participants who Directly Register with a Provider, this Referral will be to the Provider who made the Direct Registration ESAt referral.

Providers must support and action any changes resulting from the ESAt, as needed.

The ESAt report status will change to ‘finalised’ 28 days after it is submitted and accepted by Services Australia.

Requesting a review of the ESAt report

Providers can request a review of an ESAt if new information is made available that might change the outcome of the ESAt (including the employment service referral recommendation), or there appears to be an error in the report.

To request a review, Providers must contact Services Australia by sending an email to FOCUS.RESPONSE.TEAM@servicesaustralia.gov.au and outline the request, including their reason(s).

If the Services Australia Assessor does not agree to change the recommendations, the Provider must accept the Assessor’s decision as final.

A review must be requested within 28 calendar days of the ESAt report being submitted. Once the Department’s IT Systems change the ESAt status to ‘finalised,’ Services Australia cannot make any changes to the report.

If the Participant disagrees with the ESAt, or would like a further explanation of the content, they should contact Services Australia.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 107.1, 107.2)

Releasing the ESAt report

If a person asks to see their ESAt report, they can be given a copy of the report unless it contains a statement like: “This report contains information which if released to the client, might be prejudicial to his/her health”. In this case, Providers should direct the person to the Department’s Freedom of Information (FOI) team. The Freedom of Information page on the Department's website contains information for the public on how to submit an FOI request.

Additional information regarding the disclosure of information and privacy considerations can be found in Part A Guidelines: Chapter 6: Privacysign-in required (sign-in required).

Note: JCA reports available on the Department’s IT Systems include only information relevant to the person's participation in employment services (equivalent to the information contained in an ESAt). If the Participant wishes to view additional JCA information used for DSP claims or reviews, the Provider should direct the person to Services Australia.

2.5 Skills AssessmentCopy citation · §2.5

When a Participant commences in Pre-Employment Support, during the Initial Engagement Period (see Section 3.3 The Initial Engagement Period), a Provider must conduct a Skills Assessment to build their understanding of the Participant’s support needs and servicing requirements. This will assist the Provider to tailor the supports delivered to the Participant.

There is no formal version of a Skills Assessment, rather Providers must conduct the assessment using their own resources.

The Skills Assessment should be comprehensive and consider all the relevant circumstances of the Participant.

The Skills Assessment should identify:

• Vocational Barriers and Non-Vocational Barriers the Participant may have including skill gaps, if relevant, and

• options for the Participant’s pathway to employment including appropriate Interventions, Education and Training, and work experience activities.

It may include an assessment of the Participant’s:

• Work Readiness

• current employment skills and experience, including an assessment of their existing skills set and aptitude for various types of work

• future skill needs

• current educational achievements

• skills and experience in direct relation to the local labour market, including areas of skill shortage

• job search experience and capability, including the quality of their résumé and any written applications, and

• training or other support needs that will be required to help the Participant find and keep a job.

If the Skills Assessment identifies that a Participant identified as an Early School Leaver has completed a Year 12 or equivalent qualification, the Provider must request evidence of the qualification and provide that evidence to Services Australia. If Services Australia accepts the provided evidence the Provider must update the Participant’s Job Seeker Snapshot to reflect the higher educational qualifications.

Note: An Early School Leaver is a person who receives Youth Allowance (Other), is under 22 years of age and has not completed Year 12, a senior secondary education qualification, or a qualification at Certificate III level or above.

System step — Providers should enter comments on the Participant’s Summary in the Department’s IT Systems with details of the request.

Evidence requirement — Providers may be requested by the Department to provide details regarding the qualification to the Department or Services Australia.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 115)

2.6 Ongoing Support Assessments (OSAs)Copy citation · §2.6

OSAs provide an independent assessment of a Participant’s need for Ongoing Support, including for Ongoing Support (Work Assist) Participants.

OSAs are undertaken by assessors, who are employed by National Panel of Assessors (NPA) Providers, at no cost to Providers.

A Provider must request an initial OSA be completed as soon as possible upon identifying that a Participant would benefit from Ongoing Support.

Each OSA will be valid for either 1, 2 or 5-years, as recommended by the assessor. Providers must ensure that the OSA review is completed before its due date to continue providing Ongoing Support.

Providers must also request a Change of Circumstances OSA if:

• the Participant could benefit from a higher Level of Ongoing Support than their Current Assessment has recommended, or

• Flexible Ongoing Support may be more appropriate for an Ongoing Support (Work Assist) Participant, having reached 26-weeks in their period of Ongoing Support.

Further details of Provider’s requirements in relation to OSAs are outlined in Section 10.4 Ongoing Support Assessments.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 125.3, 125.4, 129, 133)

2.7 Workplace Modification Services AssessmentCopy citation · §2.7

Providers may assist or act on behalf of a Participant or Employer to make an application in respect to accessing financial support under the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) for workplace assessments and modifications. The process to make an application for EAF assistance is outlined in Section 9.8 Employment Assistance Fund.

Note: A Provider may make an application for a Participant receiving Pre-Employment Support, Post Placement Support or Ongoing Support. The EAF is available when a person with disability is about to start a job or is currently working, as well as for help to find and prepare for a job.

Where required, a WMS Assessment may be undertaken to assess the application for the EAF. WMS Assessments:

• identify the work requirements, work environment, nature of the Participant’s disability and barriers to performing work tasks because of the Participant’s disability

• conduct research into available modifications that will be suitable to respond to the identified barriers, and

• discuss and recommend with the Employer and Participant the potential modifications that are available to improve access to an inclusive and accessible workplace and supports work productivity with reasonable adjustments.

WMS Assessments are undertaken by assessors, who are employed by NPA providers, at no cost to Providers, Participants or Employers.

It is recommended that Providers attend the WMS Assessment, where possible. During the WMS Assessment process, a Provider may be asked to provide additional information or clarify any ambiguities in the EAF application. If the Provider does not attend the WMS Assessment, they may be contacted by the assessor to provide this additional information. Information about the EAF can be found on the JobAccess website.

2.8 Supported Wage System AssessmentCopy citation · §2.8

Providers may assist or act on behalf of an Employer to make an application in respect of the SWS for a Participant on their Caseload.

SWS Assessments are undertaken by assessors, who are employed by NPA providers, at no cost to Providers, Participants or Employers.

A Provider may be contacted by the assessor to supply background information about the role and tasks involved. In practice, the Provider may draw upon the job support provided to the Participant/employee to identify and record the key tasks of the Job Placement.

Before the SWS Assessment is conducted, the assessor may also seek to confirm with the Provider whether:

• all the necessary modifications to the work environment and job have occurred to maximise the employee’s participation

• appropriate training has been provided to the employee in all duties to be performed, and

• agreement has been reached that the employee is unable to work at the productivity level that would be expected by the minimum standards for that position.

Information about SWS can be found on the JobAccess website.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 121.3)