Chapter 3. Period of Service, Suspensions, Transfers and Exits

Supporting Documents for this Chapter:

• Request to Transfer formsign-in required (sign-in required)

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

• System step — Refer to the TtW System Steps Guide.sign-in required (sign-in required)

TtW is a time limited service. All eligible Participants are entitled to receive up to 18 months of Services. A smaller cohort of Participants – those with more complex Non-vocational Barriers – can receive up to 24 months of Services.

Participants in TtW who turn 25 years of age may continue to receive Services for the remainder of their Period of Service.

This Chapter outlines the Period of Service and how it is affected by periods of Suspension, and when Participants are transferred or Exited from TtW.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 101)

The Period of Service is the period of time a Participant has actively been receiving Services in TtW as calculated by the Department’s IT Systems. The Period of Service:

• starts when a Participant Commences in TtW,

• is paused whenever a Participant is Suspended from Services and restarts when the Suspension ends,

• ends when the Participant is Exited (see Exits), and

• can continue for up to 18 months for all TtW Participants, and

• may be extended to up to 24 months depending on the result of an Additional Servicing Assessment (for Group One Participants).

Where a Group One Participant is tracking toward an Outcome after 18 or 24 months Period of Service, the Participant may remain in TtW until either the Outcome is achieved, or the Participant stops continually progressing toward the Outcome. In either case, once the Outcome is achieved or ceases, the Participant should be Exited from the Service.

Refer to the Vacancies and Outcomes Chapter for information on Outcomes.

(Deed Reference(s): Clauses 101, 104)

• System step — A Participants Period of Service can be identified in the Department’s IT Systems. Refer to the ‘How to view Period of Service on a Participant’s profile’ section of the TtW System Steps Guide.sign-in required (sign-in required)

• System step — Period of Service is referred to differently between the Deed and Guidelines, the Department's IT Systems and Provider reports. Providers can use the following table to assist in determining Period of Service for Participants.

What is an ASA?

The ASA is the review process a Provider must follow to determine if a Participant receiving an Activity Tested Income Support Payment will have their Period of Service extended in TtW.

A Provider should only complete an ASA if they believe a Participant with more complex Non-vocational Barriers would benefit from an additional 6 months of Servicing.

Note: It is not valid to extend a Participant’s time in TtW solely to allow them to participate in an Education or Employment Placement, or to undertake Post‑placement Support.

Undertaking an ASA

If an ASA is to occur, it must be completed after the Participant reaches a Period of Service of 16 months and before they reach a Period of Service of 18 months. An ASA cannot be conducted retrospectively.

If an ASA is needed, Providers should complete a file review and arrange a time to meet with the Participant to discuss the possibility of an extension of Servicing. The Provider and Participant complete the Job Seeker Snapshot in the Department’s IT Systems and this will trigger the ASA, if completed within the correct Period of Service window.

• System step — If a Participant has passed 18 months Period of Service, the ASA will not be triggered in the IT Systems.

What are the outcomes from completing the ASA?

Once the ASA is conducted, the Department’s IT Systems will display whether a Participant is approved for the extension of Service. The result will be displayed on the Additional Servicing Assessment tile in the Servicing and Eligibility tab.

If the result of the ASA is endorsed, the Period of Service will automatically be extended in the Department’s IT Systems.

If the result of the ASA is not endorsed, the Provider may override this if the Participant’s circumstances justify the additional 6 months Servicing. The Provider should explain to the Participant that the override process may require disclosure of additional personal information that will be recorded in the Department's IT Systems. If the Provider and Participant agree to the extension of Servicing, the Provider can override the ASA outcome and must enter the reasons into the Department’s IT System.

Note: The Department's Caseload modelling suggests that around 15 per cent of TtW Participants are likely to have sufficiently complex Non-vocational Barriers to justify additional time in Service. The Department will monitor the Provider's use of the ASA override function to ensure it is used in a way that is consistent with the policy intent.

• System step — For detailed system steps refer to the Digital Solutions Support (Knowledge Base) - Employment Systems Task Cards – Caseload - Completing an Additional Servicing Assessment (ASA) KB0017349sign-in required (sign-in required) (KB0017349).

• Documentary evidence — Providers must record a file note (comment) outlining the Participant’s circumstances and reasons for an ASA override.

(Deed Reference(s): Clauses 101, 102)

A Suspension is a period of time in which a Participant is not required to participate in TtW.

Providers must not deliver Services to Suspended Participants unless the Suspended Participant advises they want to voluntarily participate in Services.

Providers must resume delivery of Services to the Participant once the Suspension period has ended.

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.

(Deed Reference(s): Clauses 104, 105)

Suspensions are applied when Participants are experiencing a situation that prevents them from participating in TtW for a specified period. Participant circumstances that may warrant a Suspension include:

• major personal crisis such as domestic violence, death of an immediate family member, family dislocation or physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse

• housing instability or homelessness

• declared natural disaster such as bushfire, flood or cyclone.

Group One Participants

Participants who are in receipt of an Activity Tested Income Support Payment are automatically Suspended from Services when an Exemption is applied by Services Australia.

If a Provider considers a Participant may need a Suspension, they should direct the Participant to Services Australia to test their eligibility for an Exemption.

Details of Exemptions applied by Services Australia can be viewed on the Suspensions screen in the Department’s IT Systems.

A Participant may elect to volunteer for services while Suspended.

• System step — Providers must record a Volunteer Period where a Participant has been granted an Exemption to Mutual Obligation requirements by Services Australia and elects to volunteer 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.

• Documentary evidence — Providers must record a file note (comment) verifying the Participant’s agreement to Volunteer while on an exemption, including the dates.

Group Two Participants

Group Two Participants may be manually Suspended from Services for up to 13 weeks if the Provider determines the Participant, due to their personal circumstances, is unable to participate for a specified time.

The Suspension period will end after the 13 weeks, or earlier if the Provider and Participant agree that the Participant’s circumstances have improved, and they are able to resume participation in the Service.

If the circumstances under which the Participant cannot participate are likely to continue beyond 13 weeks, the Provider should consider if the Participant will continue to benefit from Services. If the Provider considers the Participant won’t benefit, they should be Exited from TtW.

• System step — Providers must manually add a Suspension in the Department's IT Systems

• Documentary evidence — Providers must record a file note (comment) outlining the details of the suspension.

Parent Pathways Participants

A Parent Pathways Participant in TtW may be Suspended if:

• the Participant has an Exemption recorded by the Parent Pathways Provider or Services Australia, or

• the TtW Provider identifies the Parent Pathways Participant has experienced circumstances which prevent them from participating in Services for a specified period of time and the Participant’s Parent Pathways Provider agrees to the Suspension from TtW.

The Parent Pathways Participant will remain Suspended until:

• the Exemption has reached its end date, or

• the TtW Provider determines the Participant is able to participate in the Services and the Participant’s Parent Pathways Provider agrees to their Suspension ending.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 105)

Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy Allowance Suspension

If a Participant is placed into a job and:

• both the Participant and the Vacancy meet the eligibility requirements for a Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy, and

• the Participant subsequently stops receiving Income Support Payments for employment-related reasons, then

the Participant’s record will be marked in the Department's IT Systems as a “Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy Allowance Suspension.” This Suspension will apply for a 26-week period and will result in the Effective Exit of the Participant from TtW.

This Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy Allowance Suspension means that if the Participant loses their job, through no fault of their own, within 26 weeks of being Exited, they can then be reinstated with their Provider and may immediately be eligible for another Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy.

Providers should continue to provide Post-placement Support to the Participant.

For more information on the Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy see the Wage Subsidies Chapter.

(Deed Reference(s): Clauses 105, 131)

Participants may transfer between TtW Providers for a range of reasons. Transfers can be automatic or involve a manual process and may be initiated by the Participant or the Provider. Transfer arrangements are designed to support continuity of servicing when Participants are transferred.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 91)

Change of address

When a Participant changes address and the new address is outside their current Provider’s service area, they are automatically transferred to a new Provider, when Services Australia or the Provider make the address change in the IT Systems.

The Participant will be transferred to a new Site of their current Provider if that Provider has a Site which services their new address.

Participants on Activity Tested Income Support Payments will be referred to a Workforce Australia Employment Services Provider if there is no TtW Provider servicing their new address.

Participants transferred due to a change of address can request a transfer back to their previous Provider/Site, where the previous Site is within the same Employment Region as the Site the Participant was transferred to.

Automatic transfers through the Department’s IT Systems do not happen if the Participant is the subject of a Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy Agreement or has a current Serious Incident Report and/or a reactive Managed Service Plan (MSP). The current Provider should continue to support the Participant.

See the Part A Guidelines: Servicing Participants with Challenging Behaviours Chaptersign-in required (sign-in required) for more information.

• System step — Refer to Digital Solutions Support (Knowledge Base) - Referrals / Transfers – Transferring or Referring Participants with a Serious Incident Report or/and a Managed Service Plan (MSP) (KB0013540sign-in required (sign-in required)).

Participant initiated Transfer by agreement

Participants may transfer to a different TtW Provider if their current Provider, their proposed Provider and the Participant all agree to the transfer. An online request for a transfer can be initiated by any of the parties. The Participant should be advised by their Provider the transfer will be actioned within 2 days and they will receive an Appointment notification from the new Provider once complete.

The new Provider must cooperate with the Provider facilitating the transfer so that Services can be continued to the Participant, including, scheduling an Initial Interview within 2 Business Days of the transfer.

The Participant is automatically transferred by the Department's IT Systems, with an alert to both Providers once the transfer is completed.

Transfers due to Provider/Participant relationship breakdown

Where the relationship between a Participant and Provider has broken down, the Participant can be transferred to a new Provider subject to the Department’s agreement. Requests for such transfers can be made by Participants or Providers.

Participants

If a Participant thinks a reasonable and constructive relationship cannot be maintained with their Provider, they can contact the Department’s National Customer Service Line (NCSL) on 1800 805 260 or by emailing nationalcustomerserviceline@dewr.gov.au.

Providers

If a Provider thinks it cannot maintain a constructive servicing relationship with a Participant, it can complete the Transfer Due to Relationship Failure Form and submit this to nationalcustomerserviceline@dewr.gov.au for investigation. The Department 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).

Departmental action

If the Department’s NCSL approves a transfer due to relationship breakdown, it will transfer the Participant in the Department’s IT Systems. The Participant will receive a letter advising them of their new Provider and their next Appointment.

Eligible Participants will be referred to a Workforce Australia Employment Services Provider if there are no other TtW Providers in the Employment Region.

The Department’s NCSL will notify the Provider and/or the Participant in writing if they do not approve the transfer.

• Documentary evidence — Providers must retain a copy of the Transfer due to Relationship Failure form.

Better Servicing Transfers

If a Participant thinks they will receive better servicing from another Provider, they can request a transfer by contacting the Department’s NCSL on 1800 805 260 or by emailing nationalcustomerserviceline@dewr.gov.au.

If the Department does not agree to the request, it will inform the Participant of the decision.

Alternative transfer arrangements apply to Participants with current Provider-lodged Serious incident reports and/or a reactive MSP. Refer to the Part A Guidelines: Servicing Participants with Challenging Behaviours Chaptersign-in required (sign-in required) for more information.

• System step — Refer to Digital Solutions Support (Knowledge Base) - Referrals / Transfers – Transferring or Referring Participants with a Serious Incident Report or/and a Managed Service Plan (MSP) (KB0013540sign-in required (sign-in required)).

Any party involved can request a review in writing of the decision from the Department’s NCSL by emailing nationalcustomerserviceline@dewr.gov.au within 14 Business Days of the original decision if they are not satisfied with the outcome of any transfer decision.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 91)

The original Provider may claim an Outcome where a Participant is transferred from them to a different Provider and the Participant is tracking towards an Outcome as long as the Participant was on the Provider’s Caseload at the Job Placement Start Date or the Outcome Start Date.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 137.10)

Participants should be Exited from TtW if they no longer wish to participate, are not participating in TtW appropriately, have reached maximum Period of Service, or are no longer eligible.

There are two types of exits in TtW: Effective Exits which occur automatically; and Provider Exits (manual Exits).

Note: A Participant does not need to be Exited from TtW where they commence in an Education or Employment Placement, or when the Provider claims an Outcome, if the Participant is still within their Period of Service.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 107)

An Effective Exit occurs when Participants are Exited automatically from TtW, which also ends their Period of Service. An Effective Exit will be triggered in the system for Participants who:

• have stopped receiving an Activity Tested Income Support Payment (including those who are subject to a Youth Bonus Wage Subsidy Agreement), as determined by Services Australia

• have Commenced in an Other Service

• have changed allowance type from Youth Allowance (other) or JobSeeker Payment to Youth Allowance (student) or Youth Allowance – Australian Apprentice

• are volunteers and not in receipt of an Activity Tested Income Support Payments who have reached 18 months Period of Service.

An Effective Exit will also occur on advice from Services Australia that a Participant:

• is deceased

• has been imprisoned (and their allowance is cancelled)

• has moved permanently overseas.

Note: A Group Two Participant is automatically Exited at 18 months Period of Service, even if they are tracking toward an Outcome. These Outcomes will continue to track and where the requirements are met, Providers will still be able to claim the Outcome. Post-placement Support must be provided to these Participants while they are tracking to an Outcome.

Providers must manually Exit any Participant who:

• is Referred but does not Commence in TtW

• advises they no longer wish to participate in TtW (see Opting out of Transition to Work Services)

• is not meeting Participation Requirements or ceases to participate appropriately

• the Provider confirms has committed a Work Refusal Failure or an Unemployment Failure

• is an Activity Tested Income Support Participant and is not tracking toward an Outcome at 18 months Period of Service and has not been endorsed for additional servicing through an ASA

• is an Activity Tested Income Support Participant and is not tracking toward an Outcome at 24 months Period of Service, with an endorsed ASA

• becomes a voluntary Participant after 18 or 24 months Period of Service and has not been automatically exited

• is a Parent Pathways Participant and is assessed as unsuitable for TtW by the TtW Provider. The TtW Provider must notify the Parent Pathways Provider as soon as practicable

• requires a referral to Workforce Australia Services to facilitate access to other programs and services that are not considered a Complementary Service with TtW (i.e. Self-Employment Assistance).

Note: Participants receiving an Activity Test Income Support Payment must be Referred to Workforce Australia Services upon Exit. Where applicable, the Provider must refer the Participant in line with requirements set out in the Exiting Group One Participants from Transition to Work to Workforce Australia Services section. Providers must record the reason for the Exit in the Department’s IT Systems.

Refer to the Participant Requirements Chapter for more information.

Note: A Participant does not need to be Exited from Transition to Work once a Provider claims an Outcome if the Participant is still within their Period of Service.

• System step — Providers must action a Provider Exit, record the reason, and make a comment in the Department’s IT Systems.

• System step — For Provider Exits of Voluntary Participants due to ‘failure to engage’, Providers should have attempted to contact the Participant within the last 2 days prior to actioning the exit.

Important:

• The Department monitors Period of Service. Failure to Exit a Participant at 18 months where they have not been through an ASA and identified as needing an additional 6 months or are not tracking (and continuing to progress) towards an Outcome, may result in the Department taking action under the Deed. This action may include invalidating anchored Placements and associated Outcome Payments after this date. These Participants will not be included in calculations for allocation of Places and Upfront Payments.

• Where a Group One Participant has completed their Period of Service (i.e. 18 or 24 months of servicing) and is tracking to an Outcome, their Employment or Education must be continuous to remain in TtW. The Participant must be immediately Exited by the TtW Provider if there are any fortnights where there are:

• Insufficient hours worked,

• No hours worked, or

• No participation in Education.

TtW Providers and Workforce Australia Employment Services Providers must cooperate when moving young people between the two Services.

Note: Any Participants Exiting TtW after 6 months Period of Service, who are transferring to a Workforce Australia Employment Services Provider may have Mandatory Activity Requirements in Workforce Australia Services.

A TtW Provider must organise and attend a handover meeting with the Participant and the Workforce Australia Employment Services Provider before 18 months of Service, or 24 months of Service if their Period of Service has been extended through an ASA.

A Provider does not need to conduct a handover meeting for a Participant who Exits less than 3 months after Commencement in TtW or is Exited to Workforce Australia Services due to failing to engage in the Service.

Where a Group One Participant is not tracking towards an Outcome at the seventeenth month in TtW (or the twenty-third month for those who have been given an extra 6 months of Service) the Provider must start the handover process of the Participant to a Workforce Australia Employment Services Provider. This should include:

• advising the Participant of the upcoming end of TtW Servicing and their transition to Workforce Australia Services

• helping the Participant to identify the Participant’s choice of Provider

• organising and attending an initial planning meeting with the new Provider, and

• organising and attending a Commencement meeting with the new Provider and Participant.

Note: When a TtW Provider refers a Participant to Workforce Australia Services the only Appointment type available will be an Initial Appointment.

Ending a Referral upon Exit

Where a Participant is Referred to an Other Service from TtW, the Department's IT Systems are designed to automatically end the TtW Referral when the Participant is Commenced in the new service. However, where the Participant has been Referred to the new service for an extended period of time without Commencing, a TtW Provider may choose to manually end the TtW Referral.

For information on the process to manually Exit the TtW Referral, refer to the TtW Systems Steps Guidesign-in required (sign-in required).

Participants not in receipt of an Activity Tested Income Support Payment (Group Two) will be eligible for the Online Base Service after Exiting TtW. Providers should provide information and assistance to Participants to register for the Online Base Service, if not already connected.

Following Commencement, Group One Participants can decide to opt out of TtW Services at any point and elect to participate in Workforce Australia Services instead. A Provider should provide the Participant with information on both services to make an informed decision, ensuring they explain that TtW is a dedicated youth service and that there will be additional compliance implications when in Workforce Australia Services. If a Group One Participant does opt out, the Provider must refer the Participant to Workforce Australia Services and perform a Provider Exit (see Exits).

Implications when Participants wish to Exit

If a Participant advises their Provider that they wish to Exit TtW, the Provider should ensure the Participant understands:

• in the case of Participants who are receiving an Activity Tested Income Support Payment, they must be referred to a Workforce Australia Employment Services Provider and will be subject to compliance requirements associated with Workforce Australia Services,

• they may not be able to access TtW Services in the future,

• the Provider may continue to provide Post-placement Support to the Participant and/or Employer if the Participant is currently tracking towards an Outcome, as agreed, and

• in the case of Group Two Participants, once they Exit, they may not be eligible to access TtW Services in the future. In these circumstances, they can choose to register for the Online Base Service.

Group One Participants

Where an Exit occurs and the Participant returns to Services less 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.

Note: Where a Commenced Group One Participant is Referred to Workforce Australia Services with the Exit reason 'Job Seeker confirms request to Exit' or 'Job Seeker not Participating not contactable', the Participant will be unable to be Referred back to TtW in the same Period of Unemployment.

Where an Exit occurs and the Participant subsequently returns to the Service, after reassessment by Services Australia 13 Consecutive Weeks or more after the date of the Exit, the Participant will begin a new Period of Service and Period of Registration (if relevant).

Where the Participant is Exited to commence in an Other Service, the Participant’s Period of Unemployment generally continues in the new service. 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.

Group Two Participants

If a Group Two Participant is Exited due to:

• advising they no longer wish to participate in the Service,

• ceasing to participate appropriately, or

• completing their Period of Service,

they will be excluded from Services for 13 Consecutive Weeks. After this time the Provider must reassess the Participant’s eligibility in order to re-register them.

See Direct Registration Process.