Locating and actioning compensation charge activities outstanding for 35 days (UNR) 117-04010010

When a compensation charge is recorded on CMS, an unrecovered charge (CMM/UNR) activity will be automatically generated for action if the charge remains outstanding for 35 days.

The Compensation Recovery Team (CRT) should check if the:

• preliminary or recovery notice was sent to the correct address before funds were released to the claimant
• refund has been allocated incorrectly on the OPDL screen (customer and partner)

If the preliminary or recovery notice was incorrectly sent or not sent at least a week prior to the release of the compensation payment it may be necessary to take recovery action from the customer. Go to Step 3.

If the refund has been credited to an incorrect debt, see Table 2 in Transferring debt repayments.

Procedure ends here.

Locate contact details for the compensation payer on the Compensation Payer screen.

Contact the compensation payer to advise:

• a recovery notice has been sent
• the refund of the charge amount has not yet been received

Has the compensation payer advised they have already sent the refund?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 5

Obtain the details of the refund from the compensation payer.

If the payment was made by cheque:

• date the refund was sent
• cheque details (including cheque number)
• cheque amount
• date the cheque was presented
• address the cheque was sent to:
• if the address is incorrect, request cheque cancellation and reissue (preferably by EFT)

If the payment was made by EFT:

• amount paid
• payment ID number
• date EFT payment presented
• BSB and account number

If not a Centrelink account, request immediate refund. Do not wait for the payer to retrieve the incorrect payment.

Contact the Debt Finance Team to establish why the refund has not been recorded against the social security charge. See Resources page for contact requirements.

Once the refund has been correctly recorded:

• select the CMM/UNR activity from the Activity List (AL) screen and select Continue:
• the Unpaid Compensation Charge screen will show where the second request letter is to be inhibited
• Issue/Inhibit Second Request Letter field, select Inhibit
• select Back. The system will go to the Compensation Management Summary screen
• record the details on the compensation DOC

Procedure ends here.

Investigate the reason a refund has not been sent by the compensation payer.

Has the compensation payment been released to the customer?

Yes,

• Advise the compensation payer of their legal requirement to repay the requested amount
• If the payment has been released and the Compensation Recovery Team (CRT) has determined the compensation payer received a preliminary or recovery notice before releasing the money, it may be necessary to issue a Section 1184H recovery notice to the compensation payer as they have contravened the Act. See Assessing lump sum compensation payments and calculating debts for coding requirements
• If a preliminary or recovery notice was not received before releasing the money, change the charge to a customer debt and contact the customer. See Recovery of Centrelink compensation debts
• Go to Step 6

No, does the payer dispute the charge?

• Yes,
• Ensure calculations are correct – a reassessment may be required if a calculation error has occurred
• Ensure the preliminary or recovery notice was received before the compensation was released. If not, change the charge to a customer debt and contact the customer
• Explain the calculations and reason for the charge
• Advise a second request will be issued for repayment within 7 days
• Advise the compensation payer of their legal requirement to repay the requested amount
• Go to Step 6
• No, check when the repayment will be made and:
• Record this information in a DOC
• Advise a second request Notice of Demand will still be issued for repayment within 7 days
• Advise the compensation payer of their legal requirement to repay the requested amount
• Go to Step 6

Once the investigation has been completed:

• In Customer First, select the CMM/UNR activity from the Activity List (AL) screen and select Continue:
• the Unpaid Compensation Charge screen will show where the second request letter is to be sent
• Select Issued on the Inhibit/Issue Second Request Letter field
• complete the Date field
• select Back. The system will navigate to the Compensation Management Summary screen
• record the details in a DOC