Welfare Rights Centre
-
What you need to know
- Employment Service Providers - Overview
- Selecting an Employment Services Provider
- Disability Employment Services
- Job Capacity Assessments
- Getting the most out of your Employment Pathway Plan
- Complying with Employment Service Providers and Centrelink
- Changing your Employment Service Provider
- Your rights and Employment Service Providers
- Complaining is OK
- Stream 1
- Stream 2
- Stream 3
- Stream 4
- Work Experience
- How we can help
- What you need to know
- Employment Service Providers - Overview
- Selecting an Employment Services Provider
- Disability Employment Services
- Job Capacity Assessments
- Getting the most out of your Employment Pathway Plan
- Complying with Employment Service Providers and Centrelink
- Changing your Employment Service Provider
- Your rights and Employment Service Providers
- Complaining is OK
- Stream 1
- Stream 2
- Stream 3
- Stream 4
- Work Experience
- Need more help?
Donate
Your donation will help us to provide services for vulnerable people.
Getting the most out of your Employment Pathway Plan
Employment Services Providers provide job search and employment assistance to job seekers.
They also have a role in the Centrelink compliance regime through the creation and/or monitoring of Employment Pathway Plans (EPPs).
What is an Employment Pathway Plan?
show more- An Employment Pathway Plan (EPP) lists your obligations to your Employment Service Provider and Centrelink and the provider’s obligations to you.
- You will be required to sign the EPP to say that you agree to it. If you fail to complete the activities listed in the EPP, you may face financial penalties.
- When deciding what goes into 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.
- Employment Services are expected to adapt EPPs to your individual needs.
Tell them what you want
show more- Employment Service Providers can only work with what they know and the best person to tell them about you is you.
- It is in your best interests to be honest and upfront about what job areas you are interested in, the skills you currently have and what training you believe will help you to get a job that is right for you.
- Employment Service Providers often actively market particular job seekers to potential employers.
- If they know your skills and interests they will be able to target the right jobs and industries for you.
- You can suggest what activities you would like included in the agreement, but the ultimate decision rests with Centrelink or the Employment Service Provider.
- EPPs can be changed at any time and should be updated any time your situation changes.
- You can appeal your EPP if you believe it is unfair to the Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations Customer Service Line: 1800 805 260 (free call from landlines).
Let them know if anything changes
show more- If anything happens in your life to make it more difficult to look for work, it is important to let your Employment Service Provider and Centrelink know.
- It is possible for your EPP to be renegotiated and/or for you to be transferred into a program where you can receive more support (this could be with the same provider).
- If your change in circumstances has affected your ability to follow your EPP, letting your Employment Service Provider know your situation has changed will also make you less likely to incur a penalty for non-compliance.
What the Law Says
show more- The Social Security Act states that an EPP must consider the following factors:
- your education, experience, skills and age;
- the impact of any disability, illness, mental condition or physical condition on your ability to work, look for work, or to participate in training activities;
- the state of the local labour market and the transport options available where you live;
- the participation opportunities available to you;
- your family and caring responsibilities;
- the length of travel time required for compliance with the agreement;
- the financial costs of compliance with the agreement, such as travel costs and the capacity to pay for such compliance; and
- any other matters that Centrelink or you considers relevant in the circumstances.
- Some specific terms that the EPP may include:
- a specified number of job searches per fortnight;
- formal or informal voluntary work;
- work experience;
- vocational or pre-vocational training course;
- participation in a rehabilitation program; and
- other activities designed to eliminate or reduce any disadvantage you may have in the labour market.
- A person must be capable of complying with any term included in an EPP.
- If a person is not capable of undertaking an activity (or a combination of activities) these activities cannot be included in an EPP.
- Your EPP can be changed at any time.
- Where your circumstances change or you are referred to a new Employment Service Australia provider, your EPP may be varied to reflect those changed circumstances.
Compliance Obligations: What you have to do
show more- The activities you agree to in your EPP are subject to penalties for non-compliance.
- That means if you do not turn up for appointments and interviews (and don’t have a reasonable excuse) you could lose part of your Centrelink payment.
- It is your responsibility to get in contact with your Employment Services Provider if you are unable to attend an appointment or activity.
- Call them before that appointment or activity.
Employment Service Providers can report you to Centrelink
show more- Employment Service Providers are required to report any non-compliance with your EPP to Centrelink, through a 'Participation Report'.
- Centrelink will then investigate the matter and impose penalties such a non payment periods
- Employment Services Providers should not submit a Participation Report until they have talked with you to find out if you had a reasonable excuse for failing to meet your requirements.
- They are required to make two attempts on two different days to contact you.
- Employment Service Providers can choose to make a Contact Request to Centrelink instead of a Participation Report.
- The Contact Request asks Centrelink to establish contact with you when you have failed to meet an Employment Pathway Plan requirement.
- It is an alternative to compliance action and does not result in any penalty.
- If you are aware that you have not done something required of you, it is advisable to get in contact with your Employment Service Provider as soon as possible as this may prevent any compliance action.
© 2013 Welfare Rights Centre. All rights reserved. The information on this website is intended only as a guide. It is not a substitute for legal advice.
The Welfare Rights Centre would like to thank the National Welfare Rights Network for permitting the links to their factsheets and self-help materials.
The Welfare Rights Centre would like to thank the National Welfare Rights Network for permitting the links to their factsheets and self-help materials.