Cancellation of Parental Leave Pay (PPL) 007-09030020

There are three status levels for PPL:

• PPL claim: This is the overall PPL claim status. It is displayed on the customer’s benefit status line
• Period level: These are available for PPL claims for children born or adopted on or after 1 July 2020 but before 1 July 2023. It is made up of PPL period, connected Flexible PPL days and separate Flexible PPL days.

The PPL Calculation Summary (P1RCS) screen shows the assessment results. See Rate explanation screens for family assistance and Paid Parental Leave scheme payments.

Note: for claims for children born or adopted on or after 1 July 2023, the manual coding of levels is not required on the P1CA screen. Coding will be automatic and will not display.

For a complete list of PPL claim and component level cancellations, see Cancellation, rejection, not effective, assessed and current zero rate codes for Parental Leave Pay (PPL).

Determine if the cancellation should be coded automatically or manually. In most cases, PPL is cancelled and coded automatically

• If the customer is advising a change of circumstances, manual cancellation should not be undertaken. Record the change in circumstances. Procedure ends here
• To continue with a manual cancellation of PPL for reason:
• CRQ (customer request), go to Step 3
• Another reason, go to Step 4

Discuss why the customer has asked to have their PPL cancelled. Check if a change of circumstance (e.g. another claimant, such as a partner, claiming the remaining entitlement for the child, subject to their own eligibility for PPL) would be more appropriate. If the decision to cancel CRQ is correct, tell the customer once PPL has been cancelled:

• they lose any remaining PPL entitlement for the child
• they cannot reclaim any remaining PPL for the same child at a later date

Tell the customer the CRQ cancellation cannot be backdated. The earliest date the cancellation can take effect is from date paid to + 1 (DPT+1).

Cancelling the PPL CRQ is an administrative decision, and not made under the PPL Act. Customers cannot appeal the CRQ cancellation reason if they later change their mind.

A cancelled PPL payment may be restored if the customer has maintained eligibility. If restoring the payment, check with the customer for any change in circumstances.

If after cancellation there has been a change in circumstances, these changes must be coded in the restoration activity. This may result in PPL cancelling after restoring for another reason. See Restoration of Parental Leave PAY (PPL).

To code the manual cancellation on the P1CA screen in Process Direct:

• Key P1CA (PPL Claim Action) into the Super Key to navigate to the PPL Claim Action screen
• Select Edit:
• Action: CAN (cancel)
• Reason: CRQ (customer request)
• Effect Date: on or after DPT + 1 - To determine the DPT+1, check the PS screen for the last Entitlement Period End Date (EPED). For employer payments, the EPED may be a future date. This is the correct date, even if the payments have not yet been issued to the customer
• Level: Claim (for PPL claims for children born or adopted before 1 July 2023). For claims for children born or adopted on or after 1 July 2023, the manual coding of levels is not required on the P1CA screen. Coding will be automatic and will not display
• Select Save
• Update Receipt Date and Channel fields, select Save

A Q999 is not required, as an automatic letter will issue to the customer.

To complete the cancelation activity, go to Step 5.

Note: manual cancellation should not be undertaken when a customer advises a change in circumstances. Record the change in circumstances

To code the manual cancellation on the P1CA screen in Process Direct:

• Key P1CA (PPL Claim Action) into the Super Key to navigate to the PPL Claim Action screen
• Select Edit:
• Action: CAN (cancel)
• Reason: select relevant reason for cancellation.
  (If using reason code of OTH (other), add notes to the activity to prevent an error. CAN-OTH activities will be reviewed for coding accuracy). See Cancellation, rejection, not effective, assessed and current zero rate codes for Parental Leave Pay (PPL)
• Effect Date: must be the date of event
• Level: Claim
• Select Save
• Update Receipt Date and Channel fields, select Save
• Once all updates have been completed, select Assess

To complete the cancelation activity, go to Step 5.

If the customer is not eligible for PPL for the child, check if another person (e.g. their partner) is eligible and invite the claim if appropriate.

If another person has also claimed PPL for the child, check if their entitlement needs to be reassessed.

Once PPL is cancelled it can only be restored without the need to reclaim if it is established that the payment should not have been cancelled and the customer was eligible. See Cancellation, rejection, not effective, assessed and current zero rate codes for Parental Leave Pay (PPL).

To complete the cancellation activity:

Address any errors/warnings on the Errors (SWE) screen.

Use Roxy Digital Assistance in Process Direct to address any warnings or errors that present in the Message Log on the SWE screen.

Refer to additional support resources where errors or warnings present including:

• Network News Update (NNU)
• Operational Blueprint
• mySupport
• Process Direct - Current Issues page

If error or warnings cannot be resolved using above resources, raise an incident via Roxy. See Reporting ICT issues in Process Direct.

Note: do not attempt unapproved manual workaround.

If the error E249AS - Cannot update Debt Action Code if Debt amount is null displays, remove the small debt waiver. This allows the PPL arrears and small income support payment debt be offset.

To remove the waiver:

• go to the Action (ASC) screen, then
• go to the income support payment line, and
• change the Debt Action drop down from Waived to blank

After fixing any errors, select Assess again to go the Entitlements (ELD) screen.

The ELD screen displays the outcome of the activity and payment dates.

• Check the results on the ELD screen are correct, then select Finish
• Record additional details of the update in the finalisation Note/DOC
• Select Finalise

Tell the customer of the change of circumstances outcome.

If the customer’s PPL entitlement has been reassessed and an overpayment is identified:

• the overpayment may be offset against any PPL arrears that are created in the same activity
• add the details of the overpayment to the finalisation Note/DOC
• if the overpayment amount is not fully offset with the PPL arrears, the remaining amount will become a debt. The debt shell will auto-allocate to the appropriate debt team for investigation

The customer will be issued with a letter advising of the outcome. A copy of the letter will also be issued to the customer's employer if required.

Procedure ends here.