Single Touch Payroll debt recovery data match 107-21052045

Staff may only action a record through the STPUC3 process if there is STP MFU on the Activity List (AL) screen.

Before actioning a review, go to the Payment Arrangement List (OPAL) screen.

Has the customer recently entered a payment arrangement or temporary debt pause online?

• Yes:
  • from the Activity List (AL) screen, 'S'elect the STP MFU activity
  • go to the STP Employer Summary (OPSTE) screen, key Y in the Finalise activity field
  • on the STP Outcome (OPSTX) screen, in the Reason field, key ARR (Arrangement from ETP selection) or EXC (Exclusion from ETP selection). In the Confirm field, key Y to finalise the activity
  • if the customer has not confirmed the details about the data match, delete the auto completed STP DOC (created at finalisation)
  • procedure ends here
• No, for:
  • a new data match, DOC the customer’s record. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Debt Recovery > Single Touch Payroll Recovery > STP - Recovery DOA DOC, go to Step 2
  • a customer who is returning a call, go to Step 2
  • a customer calling about the Q289 letter, go to Step 8
  • completing a due STP activity/MFU, go to Step 13

Note: if the STP MFU is blank, finalise as an exclusion for 7 days.

Check the customer’s personal details, including:

• STP data (OPSTC) screen
• Customer Personal Detail Summary (CPDS) screen for all of the customer's known names
• date of birth
• address (present and historical)

Is the data match for the correct customer?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

Is the employment start date more than 3 months before today's date?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, to finalise the activity, go to the STP Outcome (OPSTX) screen. In these fields:
  • Reason, select EXC (Exclusion from ETP selection)
  • Confirm, key Y
  • Note: if the customer has not confirmed the details about the data match, delete the auto completed STP DOC (created at finalisation), go to Step 10

If the STP data match is not for the correct customer, staff must:

• email the mismatch details to the Operational Leader (OL)/Quality Development Officer (QDO) who will complete the MCR Issues/Errors webform in mySupport, see the Resources page
• finalise the STP MFU activity on the STP Employer Summary (OPSTE) screen. Select the reason EXC (Exclude from ETP selection) on the STP Outcome (OPSTX) screen, and
• delete the auto completed STP DOC (created at finalisation)

Procedure ends here.

Go to the Overpayment Debt List (OPDL) screen. Check if there is at least one recoverable debt that is cost effective to pursue.

Is there at least one debt to recover?

• Yes:
  • STP Inbound Recovery Call staff, go to Step 6
  • STP Processing staff, go to Step 7
• No:
  • 'S'elect the STP MFU activity from the Activity List (AL) screen
  • when the STP Employer Summary (OPSTE) screen shows, key Y in the Finalise activity field
  • on the STP Outcome (OPSTX) screen, in the Reason field, key EXC (Exclude from ETP selection). In the Confirm field, key Y to finalise the activity
  • delete the auto completed STP DOC (created at finalisation). As information has not been confirmed, it should not be on the file

Procedure ends here.

Be aware of customers experiencing vulnerability. See Identifying customer vulnerability and risk issues.

See Safeguarding customer privacy when raising and recovering debts:

• when raising and recovering debts, and
• before discussing the reason for the call

All customers must be advised of the:

• STP employment data match, and
• current outstanding balance and any payment arrangements

Note: the STP information including the Year to Date (YTD) is only an indication of the customer's circumstances. Consider the customer's individual circumstances.

If the customer:

• does not dispute the data match, consider exclusions and set up an arrangement. Go to Step 10
• disputes the data match:
  • obtain details about why the customer disagrees
  • refer the file to an Operational Leader/Quality Development Officer for investigation
• requests additional time, hold the activity for a maximum of 7 days from the response date listed in the Q289 letter. After this time, no further extensions should be granted, and staff must resume the recovery process
• refuses to enter an arrangement and has not received a Q289 letter, document the conversation on the customer's record. Go to Step 13

Inbound garnishee instructions

Follow details recorded in the DOA DOC if one of the following applies:

• customer refuses to enter a repayment arrangement and has received a Q289 letter
• customer or employer wants to discuss an existing wage garnishee, or
• employer is calling to discuss EFT payment details

For inbound customer contact:

• between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (AEST):
  • cold transfer customers through Services Australia Workspace to CLK Debt STPUseCase3
• outside these hours:
  • use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Debt Recovery > Debt Recovery Referrals > STPUC3 Contact Referral and leave this Open. Workload Management (WLM) will transfer the open Fast Note to STP Recovery staff, who will contact the customer the next business day

Procedure ends here.

Review the customer record including:

• previous arrangements
• repayments
• debt amount, status and balance
• any correspondence and notifications sent to the customer

Interest Charges (IC) must be updated before making an outbound contact attempt. This must be completed in Customer First for DMIS debts, and Process Direct for Child Care Subsidy debts.

Send a pre-call SMS before every contact attempt if the customer:

• has a phone number on record, and
• is subscribed to receive SMS messages via Electronic Messaging

Reasonable attempts to contact the customer must be made using all phone numbers available on the Telephone Summary (TDS) screen and in STP data.

Factor that the customer may be experiencing vulnerability. See Identifying customer vulnerability and risk issues.

Before explaining the reason for the call, make sure the customer's privacy is protected. See Safeguarding customer's privacy when raising and recovering debts.

Take into account the individual customer circumstances. STP data may only be an indication of the customer's situation. All customers contacted must be advised:

• the call is being recorded
• of the STP employment data match and STP information that includes the Year to Date (YTD)
• the current outstanding debt balance and any broken repayment arrangements

If the contact attempt is unsuccessful and there is an answering service, leave a message. Ask the customer to call 1800 076 072 by the end of the following business day.

Was customer contact successful?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 9

If the customer:

• does not dispute the data match, consider exclusions and set up an arrangement. Go to Step 10
• disputes the data match:
  • obtain details about why the customer disagrees
  • refer the file to an Operational Leader/Quality Development Officer for investigation
• requests additional time, hold the activity for a maximum of 7 days from the response date listed in the Q289 letter. After this time, no further extensions should be granted, and staff must resume the recovery process
• refuses to enter an arrangement and has:
  • received a Q289 letter, tell them their employer will be contacted to place a wage garnishee. They will receive a notice with details of the garnishee. Go to Step 14
  • notreceived a Q289 letter, document the conversation on the customer's record, go to Step 13

Was a message left for the customer to call back?

• Yes:
  • hold the MFU activity for 2 business days
  • DOC the customer's record, detailing the outbound call attempt. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Debt Recovery > Single Touch Payroll Recovery > STP- First Customer Call Attempt
  • procedure ends here
• No:
  • DOC the customer's record, detailing the outbound call attempt. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Debt Recovery > Single Touch Payroll Recovery > STP- First Customer Call Attempt
  • go to Step 13

A customer can be excluded from the STP data match process because of their circumstances. For example, the customer is experiencing vulnerability or severe financial hardship or are at risk.

Consider the customer's circumstances, including any identified vulnerability they may be experiencing, to determine how best to assist the customer

To assess severe financial hardship, first engage in conversation with the customer to gather information about the circumstances. After considering the information provided, if there is doubt about their circumstances, a more detailed financial assessment may be conducted.

Are there circumstances for the customer where an exclusion may be required?

• Yes, go to Step 11
• No, go to Step 12

To exclude the customer from the STP process:

• 'S'elect the MFU from the AL screen, to go to the OPSTE screen
• in the Finalise activity field, key Y to go to the OPSTX screen
• key EXC (Exclude from ETP selection) and the date the customer is to be excluded to finalise the activity
• an online document is automatically created on the customer's record with the details of the STP data
• if the customer has:
  • been advised of the data match, DOC the customer's record detailing the decision and reason for exclusion
  • not been advised of the data match, delete the STP DOC
• expire the 'STP - Recovery' DOA DOC
• procedure ends here

If the customer:

• has a current repayment arrangement, procedure ends here
• wants to negotiate a new arrangement to recover debt, go to Step 12
• is not willing to negotiate a new arrangement, review the case to determine if it is suitable for other recovery or non-recovery actions. See:
  • Garnishees
  • Temporary write off of Centrelink debts, or
  • cost effectiveness when recovering debts

Negotiate a new arrangement to recover the debt:

• record the arrangement and document the customer's file. See Arranging cash repayments to recover debts
• 'S'elect the MFU from the AL screen
• when the OPSTE screen shows, key Y in the Finalise activity field
• on the OPSTX screen, key ARR (Payment Arrangement Coded) to finalise the activity
• an online document is automatically created on the customer's record with details of the STP data
• expire the 'STP - Recovery' DOA DOC
• procedure ends here

Interest Charges (IC) must be updated before sending a Q289 letter. This must be completed in Customer First for DMIS debts, and Process Direct for Child Care Subsidy debts.

If the customer has a correspondence nominee, a copy of the Q289 letter must be issued to both the customer and nominee.

Compare the address from the STP data with the address start date on the Address History (ADH) screen. Send a manual Q289 letter to the address with the most recent date.

Do not send an 'Ask employer for employment details' (Q609) letter. STP data match information is sufficient to confirm employment. STP information updates regularly and includes payroll event start and end dates.

DOC the customer's record detailing the issuing of the Q289 letter. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Debt Recovery > Single Touch Payroll Recovery > STP- Data Match Q289 Letter sent.

The Q289 letter should allow the customer 14 days to respond plus additional delivery days, depending on the customer's location.

Hold the STP MFU activity for 14 days plus additional delivery days.

Did the customer respond and enter into a payment arrangement?

• Yes, make sure the STP MFU activity is correctly finalised, see Arranging cash repayments to recover debts. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 14

A final call attempt can be made to customers to seek a voluntary payment arrangement before contacting the employer to commence a wage garnishee.

Consider issuing a wage garnishee, see Garnishees.

If the customer is suitable for a wage garnishee on STP data match employer:

• locate the customer's employer using the STP Employer Details (OPSED) screen. Phone the employer to confirm the best way to issue paperwork to their payroll area. For example, by post, fax or email
• locate the company's legal name via the 'ABN Lookup' link on the Resources page. Send garnishee notices to the legal business/company name, not the trading name
• 'S'elect the MFU from the AL screen:
  • select Continue to view the OPSTE screen
  • in the Finalise Activity box, key Y to view the OPSTX screen
• key GRN (Garnishee Coded) to finalise the activity
• an online document will automatically create on the customer's record with the details of the STP data
• to apply the wage garnishee, see Table 3 in Garnishee of continuing income to recover debts

Staff may attempt to locate employer contact numbers through White/Yellow Pages, Google/Bing or ABN searches only where the STP match contains:

• no employer contact number or the listed number is not answered, or
• an employer contact number is for an area other than payroll and the person is unable/unwilling to provide contact information for their payroll department

If payroll details are not confirmed via phone after completing relevant searches:

• issue the garnishee letter to the employer using the address obtained via White/Yellow Pages, Google/Bing or ABN search
• make sure the envelope is marked private and confidential with 'Attention: payroll staff in confidence'

If the customer is not suitable for a wage garnishee on STP data match employer:

• document the customer record, use the Not suitable for garnishee Fast Note
• 'S'elect the MFU from the AL screen:
  • select Continue to view the OPSTE screen
  • in the Finalise Activity box, key Y to view the OPSTX screen
• key EXC (Exclude from ETP selection) on the OPSTX screen to finalise the activity