Coding employment income when a customer starts working in the Supported Wage System (SWS) 108-07010030

If the customer is advising:

• commencement of SWS employment, go to Step 2
• an update or correction to previously recorded SWS income, go to Step 3
• a change in SWS employment /wages, go to Step 4

Where a customer advises they have commenced work with SWS, confirm the customer is receiving below award wages.

As SWS income is based on productivity, if a customer is receiving full award wages, confirmation of ongoing SWS employment is required. The Service Officer may need to contact the employer to confirm details.

If the customer is receiving award wages and the employment is not supported, they are considered to be working independently (in ‘open’ employment).

• If the customer is working independently for more than 30 hours per week:
  • consider if DSP should be suspended, see Commencing or returning to work or self-employment Disability Support Pension (DSP)
• If the customer is working independently less than 30 hours per week
  • the employment must be assessed as ‘open’
  • advise the customer they must advise hours worked when reporting income
  • record a new employer with Employment Type – EAR – Earnings from Employment, see Recording and correcting employment income details

If the customer is receiving below award wages, employment is supported:

• SWS income must be recorded correctly as Employment Type SWS- SWS/IEA Ongoing Support, so their payment is not impacted due the hours they work
• Advise the customer they must tell us if their employment changes, or if they start to receive full award wages
• Record a new SWS employer, see Recording and correcting employment income details

If the customer is advising an update or correction to a past period of SWS income, action required depends on the period in which the income was recorded.

From 1 July 2006, the Pensions Supported Wage Details (PDW) screen changed to the Employment income summary (EANS) screen.

Details of income with a date of effect:

• before 1 July 2006 income was coded on the PDW screen. This includes customers starting work before 1 July 2006, or their payslip has an end date before 1 July 2006
  • for updates or correction to SWS income for this period, refer to Level 2 Disability Helpdesk
• from 1 July 2006, data on the PDW screen changed to the EANS screen. A new entry of $0 with a date of event (DOV) of 1 July 2006 was created where:
  • the PDW and EANS screens were both coded for a change to the last record of income on the PDW screen, or
  • a new entry of income was added before the 1 July 2006 conversion date
  • for updating or correcting SWS income for this period, see Historical recording and correcting employment income details (prior to 07/12/2020)

From 7 December 2020, income is coded on the:

• Employment income paid period (EAPP) table on the Employment income summary (EANS) screen in Process Direct, or
• Employment Income Paid Details (EAPP) screen in Customer First
• For updating or correcting SWS income for this period, see Recording and correcting employment income details

Procedure ends here.

If the customer advises they are receiving full award wages with the same employer, confirmation of ongoing SWS employment is required.

If required, contact the employer to confirm employment details.

If the customer is still considered to be not working independently:

• no update is required
• customer can continue to report employment income as SWS
• Procedure ends here

If the customer is now considered to be working independently:

• If the customer is working for more than 30 hours per week:
  • consider if DSP should be suspended, see Commencing or returning to work or self-employment Disability Support Pension (DSP)
• If customer is working less than 30 hours per week:
  • Record a new employer as Employment Type: EAR – Earnings from Employment, see Recording and correcting employment income details
• Advise the customer to use the new Employer recorded to report income and include hours worked