• If you are receiving an income support payment through Centrelink and have job search activity requirements, you will be required to register with an Employment Service Provider.
• If you have a disability of any kind, you may want to consider a Disability Employment Services (DES) as they offer services dedicated to supporting people with disabilities back into the workforce.
• You can also use Disability Employment Services if you are on a Disability Support Pension and want to find work - even though you do not have to look for work. The Welfare Rights Centre (WRC) refers to people in these circumstances as “voluntary clients”.

When you register for income support with Centrelink, they will ask you a series of questions to assess your individual circumstances and the impact these might have on your ability to find employment.

This group of questions is called the “Job Seeker Capacity Instrument” (JSCI) and includes questions about your:

• education level
• personal circumstances
• work experience.

If this questionnaire identifies that you have barriers to work, you will be sent to a Job Capacity Assessor whose role it is to assess how your medical conditions or “barriers” to work are affecting your capacity to work.

You may then be referred to one of the programs within Disability Employment Services (DES). Not all people with a disability will be referred to a DES. If a person has a disability but does not require on the job support and is “work ready” they may be referred to a mainstream Job Services Australia provider.

You can choose your provider.

Centrelink should ask you whether there is a service you would prefer.

Centrelink can also assist you to select a provider or nominate one for you.

Information on providers in your area is available here.

Disability Employment Services can assist with:

• employment preparation
• job search
• promoting skills to employers
• negotiating with employers
• on-the-job or off-site employment support.

Disability Employment Services consists of two programs.

• One for people with a disability, injury or health condition who require the assistance of a disability employment service, but are not expected to need long-term support in the workplace.
• The other is for people with a permanent disability and an assessed need for more long-term, ongoing support in the workplace.

Regardless of which program you are in, you will:

• be entitled to fortnightly face-to-face meetings with your case manager;
• gain new skills and qualifications;
• access work experience opportunities;
• receive help to manage your disability and other medical or health interventions; and
• be assisted to overcome and manage other barriers to employment.

In your initial interview with your provider they should:

• outline what services they will provide to you;
• explain and give you a copy of their Service Guarantee and Code of Practice;
• explain your rights and obligations and prepare an Employment Pathway Plan (see below) which outlines the activities and interventions you and your provider will do to assist you to get work;
• discuss your health condition, injury or disability and how it affects your ability to look for and retain employment and how you can be supported to reduce this impact;
• explain the use of Jobsearch Facilities and where they are available;
• provide an initial list of appropriate job vacancies;
• provide advice about the best ways to look for and find work and discuss local employment opportunities;

An Employment Pathway Plan (EPP) lists your obligations to the Disability Employment Service Provider and Centrelink and the provider’s obligations to you.

This used to be called an Activity Agreement.

You will be required to sign the Employment Pathway Plan to say that you agree to these obligations.

• If you fail to complete the activities listed in the EPP you may face financial penalties through Centrelink.

You can suggest what activities you would like included in the agreement, but the ultimate decision rests with Centrelink or the Disability Employment Service provider.

EPPs can be changed at any time and should be updated any time your situation changes.

If you are unhappy with your EPP and believe it is unfair, you can appeal it. Please see Review and Appeal Rights below.

• When deciding the terms of an EPP, the Employment Service Provider must have regard to your capacity to comply with the proposed terms, and your needs.

If you are a voluntary client (one that does not have a requirement to look for work) you will still have an EPP that outlines expected activities but you will not be penalised for not completing them.

On-the-job support

• Disability Employment Service Providers provide an extended period of assistance and ongoing on-the-job support once you have secured employment.
  • Job Services Australia does not provide extended on-the-job support for job seekers.
• On-the-job support, which can be supplied for at least 26 weeks.
• You will have a case manager who will help make sure any necessary workplace modifications are organised.
  • Your case manager may accompany you when you are first employed to assist you to settle in to your role.
  • You can also turn to your case manager if you are having any difficulty with your employment down the track.
• The amount of support you receive will depend on your needs.

Additional support

• The Federal Government has a couple of programs for employers to assist them to support workers with a disability. These include:
  • the Employer Assistance Fund which funds workplace modifications (such as computer software upgrades and communication technology); and
  • the Wages Subsidy Scheme which subsidises employment of people with disabilities.
• Your Disability Employment Service will be knowledgeable about these programs and encourage and assist employers to access them.
• You might like to discuss with your service provider how these might be used to assist you.
• There are other ways to appeal. For more information please see the WRC Fact Sheet Complaining is OK.

Referral and non vocational supports.

• Your employment service may refer you to a rehabilitation program and non-vocational support to assist you to become more ready for employment.
• If you are seeking compensation for the health condition, injury or disability that you are experiencing, the Employment Service Provider may recover the costs of any rehabilitation program they have referred you to. It is a good idea to discuss this with your provider as soon as possible.

• You have the right to appeal any of the decisions your service provider makes that appear to be unjustified and/or do not take into account your circumstances.
• Disability Employment Services must comply with the Disability Service Standards and can be held accountable against them.
• The Consumer Resolution and Referral Service (CRRS) is an independent service that helps sort out complaints about any service funded under the Commonwealth Disability Services Act.
  • This means that if you are accessing a Disability Employment Service you can complain to the CRRS.
  • They hold services accountable to the 12 Disability Service Standards which include individual need, privacy, dignity, confidentiality and service access.
• You can find information on the Disability Services Standards here.

• Disability Services Standards
• The following factsheets are available here:
  • Complaining is OK
  • Getting the Most out of your Employment Pathway Plan
  • Selecting an Employment Service Provider