Chapter 2. Commencements, Transfers, Suspensions and Exits

Supporting Documents for this Chapter:

• Transfer by Agreement Formsign-in required (sign-in required)

• Transfer Due to Relationship Failure Formsign-in required (sign-in required)

2.1. CommencementsCopy citation · §2.1

This section outlines what Providers must do to Commence Participants in Workforce Australia Services, and what Providers should be aware of when undertaking these actions.

(Deed Reference(s): Clauses 89, 101, 102, 105, 106 and 108)

2.1.1. Commencing Participants in Workforce Australia ServicesCopy citation · §2.1.1

A Participant must be a Fully Eligible Participant to be Commenced. Providers will not be able to Commence a Participant who is flagged as ‘No Referral Required’. Please refer to KB0015191 - Workforce Australia Online for Providers - No Referral Requiredsign-in required (sign-in required).

A Participant with a Pending status will generally Commence in Services in the Department’s IT Systems when the Provider records attendance at the Initial Interview and the Participant’s Job Plan is recorded as approved in the Department’s IT Systems i.e. Commencement is triggered by the status date and not the actual approval date which may be different. It is therefore recommended that Providers finalise and approve the Job Plan in the Department’s IT Systems on the day the Participant has read, understood and agreed to the Job Plan and the date the Job Plan was agreed.

As part of Commencing a Participant, the Provider should:

• confirm whether the Participant has a myGov account which is linked to the Workforce Australia website,

• help the Participant to establish a Job Seeker Profile in the Department’s IT Systems, and

• determine whether the Participant is able to fulfil the requirement to report their Points Based Activation System (PBAS) themselves via the Workforce Australia website, where applicable.

For Participant’s without Mutual Obligation Requirements, a Participant will Commence in Services in the Department’s IT Systems when the Provider records attendance at the Initial Interview. While an approved Job Plan is not required, the Provider must discuss and determine suitable Activities and record relevant details, including the Activity placement and subsequent attendance and completion of those Activities. For further information refer to Arrangements for Participants (Voluntary).

Please note: Participants who have Commenced with a Provider who then transfer to an alternative Site with the same Provider, will transfer with a status of “Pending”.

These Participants will Commence in Services at the new Site when the Provider records attendance at the Initial Interview in the Department’s IT Systems.

A new Job Plan will not be required if there is an approved Job Plan with the same Provider that has an approval date on or after the original referral date. However, it is good practice to review the Participant’s Job Plan during the Initial Interview to ensure it remains appropriate and current.

Participants must be Commenced in a timely manner

Providers must ensure Participants are Commenced within 10 Business Days of the Referral. This includes ‘think time’ for Participants to agree to their Job Plan (if requested and applicable). For further information please refer to the Job Plan and Mutual Obligations Requirements Chapter.

Commencing a Refugee in Workforce Australia Services

Under the Better Targeting of Support for Refugees measure, from 1 January 2020, newly arrived refugees receiving activity tested income support receive an Exemption from Mutual Obligation Requirements for their first 13 weeks after arrival in Australia.

Refugees in their first 12 months

After their initial 13-week Exemption, individuals who are refugees can choose to participate in Workforce Australia Services but are not required to do so. Those who choose to participate are not compellable until they have been receiving income support for 12 months.

At the Initial Appointment, Providers must check if the Participant is a newly arrived refugee. If the individual is a newly arrived refugee, Providers need to confirm the individual wishes to participate in Workforce Australia Services. If they don’t, they can be Exited.

• System step — Commencement of a refugee only requires recording the Participant’s attendance at their Initial Appointment. The Participant’s Centrelink Job Plan must be left in place. Refer to KB0015170sign-in required (sign-in required) Digital Solutions Support - Newly Arrived Refugees and Participation in Workforce Australia Services (service-now.com)sign-in required (sign-in required). 

If a newly arrived refugee does not have a Centrelink Job Plan or Refugee Activity in place, Providers should contact their Provider Lead or submit a Question via Question Manager. 

Please note: Newly arrived refugees eligible for Transition to Work are referred to Transition to Work. Where a newly arrived refugee is referred from Transition to Work to a Workforce Australia Services Provider during their first 12 months, the individual will not have a Centrelink Job Plan or a Refugee Activity coded on the referral history screen. 

Newly arrived refugees eligible for or transferred from Transition to Work who do not wish to voluntarily participate in Workforce Australia Services should not be Exited until a Centrelink Job Plan and a Refugee Activity have been coded. 

Where a newly arrived refugee eligible for Transition to Work wishes to voluntarily participate in Workforce Australia Services, the Provider should not commence them until a Centrelink Job Plan and a Refugee Activity have been coded.

Refugees after their first 12 months

Individuals who are refugees are required to be referred to employment services once they have been receiving income support for 12 months. Those who are referred to Providers at this time are commenced in the same way as all other Participants.

Commencing Participants undertaking residential treatment programs in Workforce Australia Services

Participants who are pending on a Provider’s caseload and participating in residential treatment programs must not be commenced for the duration of their treatment program. This is because a Participant who enters a treatment program will have limited ability to participate in activities that are external to their treatment program, including taking phone calls or using computers to access the internet.

Providers can only schedule initial appointments with these Participants once their treatment program has ended (if known). Providers must retain adequate record keeping comments in the Department’s IT Systems documenting the reasons for delays in commencement of the Participant. Verbal notification of commencement into the treatment program and release is sufficient. Participants are not required to provide written evidence of their participation in treatment programs.

Participants with a valid Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) recommending either Disability Employment Services (DES) or Inclusive Employment Australia

Participants who are pending on a Workforce Australia Services Provider’s caseload with a current, valid ESAt which recommends DES or Inclusive Employment Australia are not able to be commenced in Workforce Australia Services. In these cases, Providers should check if the Participant is referred to a DES or Inclusive Employment Australia Provider. If there is not a current DES or Inclusive Employment Australia referral, and if the individual:

• has a future work capacity with intervention of at least eight hours per week, but less than 30 hours per week

• is not studying full-time, and

• is not working at or above their Employment Benchmark hours,

then the Provider should create one. The Workforce Australia Services referral will display as exited once the individual has commenced in DES or Inclusive Employment Australia.

Participants with sensitive records (restricted access)

Participants with sensitive information in their records may be allocated to a Provider’s Caseload and the Participant’s contact details will not be visible.

Services Australia will contact these Participants and if they wish to be serviced by a Provider, Services Australia will make a referral to the Provider. Participants will be required to provide their contact details to the Provider at the first appointment.

Parent Pathways Participants

The Australian Government’s voluntary Parent Pathways service provides early intervention pre-employment support to parents of young children (under 6 years of age) to help them work towards and achieve goals to improve their future economic security.

Parent Pathways Participants are supported by a ‘Mentor’ who is engaged by the Provider to support Participants throughout their participation in the service.

When a Parent Pathways Participant’s youngest child turns 6 years old they are no longer eligible for Parent Pathways. At this time, some parents may have a mutual obligation requirement to participate in mainstream employment services, including Workforce Australia Services. In this case, parents are referred by Services Australia to Workforce Australia after they have exited Parent Pathways.

Parent Pathways Participants may choose to have a Warm Handover meeting as part of their Initial Interview. 'Warm Handover' means a meeting between the Provider, the Participant and the Participant’s former Parent Pathways Mentor which takes place as part of the Participant’s Initial Interview with their Workforce Australia Services Provider. The Participant has responsibility for advising their Parent Pathways Mentor of the Initial Interview appointment details.

Warm Handovers are optional for Participants and are intended to improve the continuity of support for the Participant by the Provider tailoring support that takes account of, and builds on, the Participant’s achievements and progress in Parent Pathways.

Participants who participated in Parent Pathways must be assisted to prepare a Job Plan. The Job Plan must meet the requirements outlined in the Job Plan and Mutual Obligations Chapter. In addition, the Provider must ensure the Job Plan and any suitable Activities identified in line with Identifying suitable Activities for Participants includes and takes into account the details of the Participant’s Parent Pathways Goal Plan (where the Goal Plan is shared by the Participant), and/or details of any advice provided by the Participant and the Parent Pathways Mentor about the Participant’s goals, achievements and progress during Parent Pathways. If a Participant is studying, then attention should be given to the circumstances in which full time study may be approved outlined in Approval of courses of 12 months or longer in duration. If a parent is studying approved courses for 30 hours per fortnight or more this may Fully Meet requirements.

Providers must deliver high quality case management to support Participants who participated in Parent Pathways, to find suitable and sustainable employment, taking into account their primary responsibilities for their family and the care of a child, other relevant circumstances and the Participant’s servicing needs.

At the time of attending the Initial Interview, the Participant will already be exited from Parent Pathways and can be commenced in Workforce Australia Services in the usual way.

Reconnection, Employment and Learning (REAL) Participants

The REAL program is a voluntary program to help First Nations participants transition from incarceration into the community. The REAL program offers culturally safe, person-centred mentoring across three stages:

• pre-release (up to six months before release),

• on-release (intensive support on the day of release), and

• post-release (up to 12 months after release).

It does this by supporting REAL Participants to reconnect with health, housing and other social services and build better connections to employment and training opportunities. The REAL Program also facilitates connection to culture, Country and language where appropriate.

The benefits of the REAL Program include, but are not limited to:

• culturally responsive and flexible servicing that focuses on supporting REAL Participants to achieve their goals and aligns with their individual circumstances

• developing an Individual Action Plan to set goals relevant to the REAL Participant and help them address barriers to successfully reconnect to community, training and jobs

• support to connect to services and programs to help REAL Participants reach their goals, address barriers and develop their skills

REAL Participants may choose to be concurrently serviced while they continue in the REAL program, or to exit the REAL Program and engage solely in Workforce Australia Services. If this is the case, they will be referred to Providers via Services Australia.

Participation in REAL meets Mutual Obligation Requirements for those in receipt of an income support payment.

Warm Handovers

For the purposes of the REAL Program, a warm handover is a three-way meeting between the REAL Participant, the REAL Mentor, and the Workforce Australia Services Provider. A warm handover is the opportunity to share appropriate information about a REAL Participant’s progress and the support they are receiving so the Workforce Australia Services Provider and REAL Mentor can give continuity of that support. The REAL Participant or REAL Mentor (with the REAL Participant’s consent) may share caseload notes and the REAL Participant’s REAL Individual Action Plan (like a Job Plan but without Mutual Obligation Requirements applied) as a hard copy or electronically.

Once the Workforce Australia Services Provider receives the referral from Services Australia, they should determine if the Participant is commenced in REAL via the Workforce Australia Online for Providers Referral History screen or by asking the Participant if they are currently commenced in another program such as REAL (if they identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander).

A warm handover may take place, with the consent of the REAL Participant, when a REAL Participant:

• is not being concurrently serviced and exits from REAL,

• commences concurrent servicing with Workforce Australia Services, or

• transfers from a REAL Mentor to another REAL Mentor while being concurrently serviced with Workforce Australia Services.

The Workforce Australia Services Provider should then liaise with the REAL Mentor and Participant to determine a suitable day and time for an initial appointment and provide flexibility to allow the REAL Participant’s REAL Mentor to attend. The REAL Participant will liaise directly with their REAL Mentor who, with the consent of the Participant, may contact the Workforce Australia Services Provider for appointment details.

A warm handover should be in person where possible, or via phone/video if distance or cost is prohibitive.

REAL Participants choosing not to be concurrently serviced

Upon receiving a referral from Services Australia for a REAL Participant exiting the REAL Program, Providers must:

• confirm that they are eligible to participate in Workforce Australia Services

• participate in a warm handover meeting

• conduct a Change of Circumstances Reassessment for them using the Job Seeker Snapshot

• commence providing Workforce Australia Services to them as a Participant (Mutual Obligation), and

• take into account any REAL Individual Action Plan that was previously prepared for them when developing a new Job Plan.

(Deed Reference(s): 101.1(a))

Concurrent Servicing

Upon receiving a referral from Services Australia for a REAL Participant choosing to receive concurrent servicing, Providers must:

• determine if the REAL Participant meets the eligibility criteria to participate in Workforce Australia Services as a Participant (Voluntary). This can be checked on the Eligibility screen via Workforce Australia Online for Providers

• confirm with the REAL Mentor that Workforce Australia Services are complementary and not duplicative of the services being provided by the REAL Mentor and that Workforce Australia Services will benefit the REAL Participant

• participate in a warm handover meeting

• commence the REAL Participant as a Workforce Australia Services Participant (Voluntary) by recording their attendance at the initial appointment, and

• ensure REAL Participants remain Centrelink-managed with a Centrelink Managed Job Plan during concurrent servicing.

REAL Participants who choose concurrent servicing remain eligible for Participant-related funds relevant to each service, subject to program guidelines.

Ongoing support

While providing concurrent servicing, Providers must:

• with the REAL Participant’s consent, share relevant information and ensure Workforce Australia Services are aligned with the Participant’s REAL Individual Action Plan and, where appropriate, collaborate with the REAL Mentor.

• maintain regular contact with the REAL Mentor including to advise the REAL Mentor if the REAL Participant:

  • is meaningfully engaging in Workforce Australia Services and whether Workforce Australia Services continues to meet the REAL Participant’s needs;

  • has a change in their circumstances which may impact on their participation in the REAL Program and/or Workforce Australia Services; and

  • has been Exited from Workforce Australia Services for any reason.

• before referring or arranging Activities, identify if the REAL Participant meets the eligibility criteria to participate in the Activity and consult with the REAL Participant and REAL Mentor on the suitability

Incident Management

Where there is any incident involving an Activity or the Services more generally where a REAL Participant is in attendance (including travel to, from or during an Activity), Providers must:

manage the incident in accordance with the Managing Activity-related Incidents section, and

notify the REAL Participant’s REAL Mentor.

Mutual Obligation Requirements

While the Participant has a current REAL activity coded as shown on the Referral History screen:

• They are meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements for Centrelink payments.

• They must agree to a Centrelink managed Job Plan, where the REAL Program is the agreed activity to meet their Mutual Obligation Requirements.

• Workforce Australia Services Providers must not apply the Targeted Compliance Framework.

Job Plan

To prevent conflicts between Centrelink managed and Provider managed Job Plans:

• The REAL Program will be recorded as the approved activity in the Participant’s Centrelink Managed Job Plan, by Services Australia, upon confirmation that the Participant will be engaging in REAL after they are released from custody.

• While a Participant has a valid REAL activity they must have a Centrelink managed Job Plan.

Participants with a history of serious incidents and Managed Service Plans

Provider staff can see the details of a Participant’s incident and Managed Service Plan history in the Department’s IT Systems when they have a Pending status. Provider staff should review these details prior to scheduling an Initial Interview so they can implement appropriate interview safety measures to protect Participants and staff, and improve engagement with the Participant. This may include implementing a proactive MSP limiting face-to-face servicing where appropriate. For information on Servicing Participants with Challenging Behaviours, including Incident Reporting and Managed Service Plans refer to Part A Guidelines: Servicing Participants with Challenging Behaviours Chaptersign-in required (sign-in required).

2.1.2. Initial InterviewCopy citation · §2.1.2

Unless otherwise directed by the Department, Providers must deliver the Initial Interview face-to-face in accordance with the Face-to-face Service Delivery section in the Part A: Universal Guidelinessign-in required (sign-in required) where:

• it is safe,

• it is beneficial to the individual Participant, and

• it is reasonable in the circumstances.

Providers must consider a Participant’s personal circumstances when scheduling Initial Interviews.

A Provider may decide not to schedule a face-to-face Initial Interview where a Participant has a history of serious incidents and Managed Service Plans, including at Services Australia which may pose a risk to other Participants and Provider staff that cannot be reasonably managed at the Site.

• System step — Where a Provider determines face-to-face servicing is not appropriate for an Initial Interview, they must record why it is not suitable for the Participant, including what other alternative solutions were explored prior to choosing non face-to-face delivery. Providers must record their reasons in the Comments section of the Department's IT Systems and update their reasons as circumstances change.

2.1.3. Connecting a Participant’s Workforce Australia account to myGovCopy citation · §2.1.3

As part of Commencing a Participant in Services, the Provider should identify whether the Participant has connected their myGov profile to their Workforce Australia account. If the Participant has not connected, the Provider should support them to do so. Connecting the myGov account will enable the Participant to use the online tools and resources available through the Department’s IT Systems and will enable the Participant to self-report for the PBAS, where applicable.

Participants who do not have a myGov profile connected to their Workforce Australia account and who have a PBAS requirement will be unable to report on their PBAS points; the Provider must undertake this action on behalf of the Participant.

Providers must support Participants to report their PBAS points where they are not capable of doing so on their own.

2.2. TransfersCopy citation · §2.2

Participants may transfer between Providers for a range of reasons. Transfers can be automatic or involve a manual process and can be initiated by the Participant, a Provider or the Department. Transfer arrangements support continuity of servicing when Participants change location, and support Participant choice.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 103)

2.2.1. Automatic transfersCopy citation · §2.2.1

If the Participant’s address is updated in the Department’s IT Systems and the new address is not within a reasonable distance of the Participant’s current Site, the Department’s IT Systems will automatically transfer the Participant to a new Site.

Where a Participant has a change of address that results in a transfer, Sites will be prioritised using criteria such as:

• the distance from the Participant’s new address,

• whether the Participant is eligible for a Specialist Provider, and

• Provider market share tolerance.

Example: A Participant receiving Services moves 150km away from their current residence. The Participant no longer lives within a reasonable distance of their current Provider Site and must be transferred. The Department’s IT Systems will transfer the Participant to a Provider at a site within a reasonable distance from their new residential address, considering their eligibility to Specialist Provider services.

2.2.2. Participant or Provider initiated transferCopy citation · §2.2.2

A Participant or their Provider can initiate a transfer to a different Provider. In some instances, the Department will transfer Participants without seeking agreement from Providers.

Transfer by agreement

Participants and Providers can initiate a transfer by agreement. This can be done manually using a Transfer by Agreement formsign-in required (sign-in required), or may be processed online.

Manual Requests lodged via a Transfer By Agreement form - initiated by a Provider

Either the current or the proposed Provider can request a transfer by agreement using the Transfer by Agreement formsign-in required (sign-in required). If all parties (the current and proposed Provider and the Participant) agree and sign the form, the current Provider must enter the details into the Department’s IT Systems to action the transfer.

• Documentary evidence — The current Provider must retain a copy of the signed Transfer by Agreement form.

  Documentary evidence — Note: where the transfer is between two of the Provider’s own Sites, a signed Transfer by Agreement form is not required. However, Providers must record the reason for the move, and that the 'Transfer by Agreement' option was used without a signed form, in the Comments section of the Department's IT Systems.

Online Requests lodged via workforceaustralia.gov.au - initiated by a Participant

Participants can initiate a transfer by agreement through workforceaustralia.gov.ausign-in required (sign-in required). These requests are sent to the proposed Provider for agreement, and can be seen under the ‘Site open tasks’ section in the Department’s IT Systems, with title of ‘Incoming Transfer Requests Pending’. Requests must be processed by the Provider within 3 Business days.

If the proposed Provider agrees to a requested transfer, the transfer request is sent to the current Provider The current Provider can see the request under the ‘Site open tasks’ section in the Department’s IT Systems, with a title of ‘Outgoing Participant transfers pending’. Requests must be processed by the Provider within 3 weekdays and it is expected that most requests are approved unless there is a good reason.

If both Providers have agreed to a Participant’s transfer request within the required timeframe, the Participant is automatically transferred. If either Provider declines the request or does not action the Participant’s online transfer request within 3 weekdays of receiving the request, the transfer will not be actioned, and the Participant will be notified. This does not preclude the Participant from contacting the Department’s National Customer Service Line (NCSL) to facilitate a transfer.

• Documentary evidence — Online requests to transfer by agreement do not require a paper form to be completed by either Provider or the Participant.

  Documentary evidence — Providers are reminded that they need to regularly check for transfer requests in the ‘Site open tasks’ section in Workforce Australia Online for Providers (PCMS), either under ‘Incoming participant transfers pending’ or ‘Outgoing participant transfers pending’, and action as soon as possible to ensure that a decision is made within three Business days. If either the current or proposed Provider does not accept the transfer, reasons for the rejection should be recorded in the 'reason for denial of transfer' field in the Department's IT Systems.

Some Transfer Requests cannot be actioned by the Participant or Provider

There will be some circumstances in which a Participant or Provider initiated transfer cannot be actioned in the Department’s IT Systems. For example, where a Participant has a current Serious Incident Report and/or a Reactive Managed Service Plan (refer to Part A Guidelines: Servicing Participants with Challenging Behaviours Chaptersign-in required (sign-in required)).

Where this occurs, the Participant will need to contact the NCSL or the Provider will need to contact their Provider Lead to have the request actioned in the Department's IT Systems.

Transfer due to relationship failure

If a Provider thinks it cannot maintain a reasonable and constructive servicing relationship with a Participant, it can complete the Transfer Due to Relationship Failure Formsign-in required (sign-in required) and forward to the NCSL (nationalcustomerserviceline@dewr.gov.au) for investigation. The NCSL will consider the request based on the evidence provided, including whether the Provider has followed the process outlined in the Part A Guidelines: Servicing Participants with Challenging Behaviours Chaptersign-in required (sign-in required).

If the NCSL approves a transfer due to relationship failure, the Participant will be sent a notification advising them of their new Provider and the date and time of their next appointment.

If the NCSL does not approve the transfer, it will notify the Provider and/or the Participant.

Transfer where a change in Provider would be beneficial

If a Participant thinks a change in Provider would be beneficial to them, they can request a transfer by contacting the NCSL. The NCSL will action the transfer if it thinks the Participant has demonstrated their case for a transfer or where the Participant had been randomly allocated to the Provider. If the NCSL does not agree to the request, it will inform the Participant of the decision.

2.2.3. Participants or Providers can request the Department review a decisionCopy citation · §2.2.3

If the Participant and/or the Provider is not satisfied with the outcome of a transfer request, they can seek a review of the decision by contacting the NCSL in writing within 14 Business Days of the original decision. If a review has been requested, it will be undertaken by a departmental officer who was not involved in the original approval process, and will consider, where relevant, whether the Provider has applied the strategies outlined in Part A Guidelines: Servicing Participants with Challenging Behaviours Chaptersign-in required (sign-in required).

If the outcome of the review is that the request for transfer is approved, the NCSL will action the transfer in the Department’s IT Systems and notify the parties.

If the outcome of the review is the request for transfer is not approved, the Provider and/or Participant will be notified, and the Provider must continue to provide Services to the Participant.

2.3. Caseload SuspensionsCopy citation · §2.3

• System step — Note: In this Caseload Suspensions section, the term Suspension has the meaning outlined in Attachment 1 – Definitions of the Workforce Australia Services Deed of Standing Offer 2022-2028. Suspension means a period of time as specified in the Department's IT Systems, during which a Participant is not obliged to participate in Workforce Australia Services – in effect they are ‘suspended from the caseload’. The use of the word Suspension in this part, does not relate to the suspension of an Income Support Payment under the Targeted Compliance Framework.

Suspensions are periods during which Participants on the Caseload of a Provider are not required to participate in Services.

Providers are not required to deliver Services to a Suspended Participant unless the Participant chooses to voluntarily participate in Services.

(Deed Reference(s): Clauses 115, 116 and 117)

2.3.1. When are Participants Suspended?Copy citation · §2.3.1

Participants are Suspended on the Provider's caseload if they are a Participant (Mutual Obligation):

• with an Exemption applied by Services Australia, or

• with a temporary reduced work capacity or Partial Capacity to Work of less than 15 hours per week, or

• who are Principal Carer Parents (PCP), have a Partial Capacity to Work (PCW), receive Carer Allowance or are 55 years and over and are Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements, or

• who is a Workforce Australia Participant Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements by undertaking 70 hours a fortnight of approved study in combination with paid work (including self-employment).

Participants will be automatically Exited if they are expected to Fully Meet their Mutual Obligation Requirements by participation in an approved activity for more than 13 weeks (unless they choose to remain in employment services voluntarily.

Refer to Participants who are Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements for more information.

2.3.2. Who applies a Suspension?Copy citation · §2.3.2

A Participant will be Suspended if Services Australia grant an Exemption from their Mutual Obligation Requirements, or they are recorded as Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements through sufficient participation in an approved activity.

Providers can record that Participants are Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements through sufficient participation in an approved activity which will trigger a suspension.

If a Participant who is voluntarily participating is experiencing a situation that means they are temporarily unable to participate in Services, the Provider may Exit the Participant but must first end any Volunteer Periods. Refer to Exits for more information.

2.3.3. Participants who are Suspended can voluntarily participate in Provider ServicesCopy citation · §2.3.3

The Provider must provide Services to a Suspended Participant if they advise they want to voluntarily participate in Services. Participants who are Suspended can choose to participate voluntarily in Services while they are Suspended after:

• being contacted by their Provider to discuss and agree to voluntarily participate while Suspended,

• notifying Services Australia who will either call their Provider or book an Appointment for them, or

• directly contacting their Provider to request Services.

For Participants (Voluntary) who elect to volunteer during a Suspension period, the Provider must record a Volunteer Period in the Department’s IT Systems. Once a Volunteer Period is entered, the Department’s IT Systems will revert the Participant to their pre-Suspended status.

• If the Participant was Commenced prior to the Suspension, they will revert to Commenced on entering of the Volunteer Period.

• If the Participant was Pending prior to the Suspension, they will revert to Pending on entering of the Volunteer Period. The Participant’s status will change to Commenced when the Participant attends their Initial Interview.

• The Participant will revert to Suspended status upon expiry of the Volunteer Period.

For further information about the servicing arrangements for Participants (Voluntary) refer to Arrangements for Participants (Voluntary).

• System step — Where a Participant elects to volunteer while Suspended, the Provider must record the agreed start and end dates for the Volunteer Period in the Department’s IT Systems. Where the Participant chooses to end the Volunteer Period earlier than originally agreed, the Provider must adjust the end date for the Volunteer Period in the Department’s IT Systems.

2.3.4. Services resume when a Suspension endsCopy citation · §2.3.4

When a Suspension ends, Providers must resume delivery of Services.

Suspensions do not affect a Participant’s Period of Unemployment. However, the Participant’s Period of Registration and Period of Service pause when a Participant is Suspended and restart when the Suspension ends.

2.4. ExitsCopy citation · §2.4

Participants may be Exited from Services for a range of reasons. This will usually happen automatically (Effective Exit) but there are some instances where Providers can manually Exit Participants.

(Deed Reference(s): Clauses 115 and 118)

2.4.1. When are Participants Exited?Copy citation · §2.4.1

Effective Exit (Automatic Exit)

Participants will be Exited automatically (known as an Effective Exit) when:

• The Participant (Mutual Obligation) is no longer receiving an eligible Income Support Payment. This can include where a Participant is in a job and has had 12 consecutive fortnights with nil rate of Income Support, or where the Participant has not lodged a report of income with Services Australia (even if this is zero) 14 days after their Report Due Date.

• The Participant is commenced in Inclusive Employment Australia or referred to the Remote Australia Employment Service. The Participant begins receiving Self-Employment Assistance Small Business Coaching (formerly known as ‘Comprehensive Services’).

• The Participant is Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligations Requirements by participation in an approved activity expected to continue for 13 weeks or more and does not wish to continue as a Participant (Voluntary) (see Participants who are Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements for further information).

Note: Participants can voluntarily elect to participate in provider-led services when Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligations Requirements.

Provider Exit (manually actioned by Providers)

Providers may manually Exit a Participant, who does not wish to continue as a Participant (Voluntary), in the following circumstances:

• The Participant (Mutual Obligation) is Suspended and has a Partial Capacity to Work of less than 15 hours per week.

• The Participant (Mutual Obligation) is a Principal Carer Parent and Suspended and has a long-term Exemption (end date longer than 16 weeks).

• The Participant (Mutual Obligation) is Suspended and Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements by participation in an approved activity expected to continue for 13 weeks or more (see Participants who are Fully Meeting their Mutual Obligation Requirements).

• The Participant (Voluntary) ceases to participate in voluntary activities or no longer wishes to participate in Services.

• The Participant's Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy is suspended.

Structural Adjustment Program and Directly Registered Participants

Providers should manually Exit a Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) Participant **(**who have no Mutual Obligation Requirements) or a Directly Registered Participant if:

• they no longer wish to participate; or

• the Participant is in Employment and the Provider has claimed a 26-Week Employment Outcome for that Employment.

2.4.2. Assessing Participant requests to ExitsCopy citation · §2.4.2

If a Participant advises their Provider they wish to Exit, the Provider should determine whether a Provider Exit is appropriate, the Participant is eligible for a Provider Exit and whether the Participant is aware of the Services the Provider can offer.

The Provider must advise a Participant when they do not approve a request for an Exit and must continue to deliver Services.

2.4.3. Participants returning to services after an ExitCopy citation · §2.4.3

Where an Exit occurs but the Participant returns to Services fewer than 13 consecutive weeks after the Exit, the Participant’s Period of Service and Period of Registration (if relevant), continue from the date of the Participant’s return, and the Provider must resume providing appropriate Services.

Where an Exit occurs and the Participant subsequently returns to the service 13 consecutive weeks or more after the date of the Exit, the Participant begins a new Period of Service; Period of Registration (if relevant).

Where the Participant is Exited to commence in another employment service, the Participant’s Period of Unemployment continues in the new service and on return to Workforce Australia Services. The Period of Unemployment also continues in the case of the reactivation of Participant’s record (e.g. the restoration of a cancelled allowance if the Participant returns within 13 consecutive weeks after the cancellation). Otherwise, a new Period of Unemployment begins.