Exits and suspensions from Workforce Australia or Community Development Program (CDP) 001-02020060

Job seekers are exited from Workforce Australia when they are no longer eligible for services or no longer required to participate. Volunteer job seekers who do not have mutual obligation requirements may request an exit either from Workforce Australia or Services Australia.

FEP job seekers will be exited from Workforce Australia automatically when the job seeker:

• has stopped receiving an eligible income support payment
• is fully meeting their mutual obligation requirements and no longer needs to remain connected to the provider
• is commenced in Disability Employment Services or the Community Development Program (CDP), or
• has become a Self-Employment Assistance participant

There are some situations where an automatic exit would not occur, but a FEP may be eligible for a provider exit, which is processed manually by the Workforce Australia organisation. These situations are where a FEP:

• has a partial capacity to work (PCW):
• of less than 15 hours per weeks, or
• of 15 hours or more per week and is meeting their mutual obligation requirements through 30 hours or more per fortnight of paid work and/or study
• is a principal carer parent:
• and has a long-term exemption (end date longer than 16 weeks), or
• is meeting their mutual obligation requirements through 30 hours or more per fortnight of paid work and/or study or both

A volunteer job seeker may at any time advise either Services Australia or Workforce Australia they no longer wish to be registered as a volunteer.

Service Officers may inactivate the job seeker registration for volunteer job seekers who indicate they no longer wish to participate in Workforce Australia.

Volunteer job seekers who request inactivation must be advised they can re-register at any time via myGov or by contacting Services Australia.

When a job seeker lives in a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) designated remote area, they are referred to a Community Development Program (CDP) provider.

Job seekers are exited from CDP when they have a change of circumstances and are no longer eligible, or they are voluntary job seekers and no longer wish to receive services.

Job seekers will be exited from CDP automatically in the following circumstances:

• By a Services Australia activity such as a cancellation of payment
• When a job seeker transfers to a payment which is not eligible for employment services
• When the job seeker commences training or study, and they are required to claim a student payment
• If they are a principal carer, mature age or have been assessed with a partial capacity to work (PCW) and commence in a job which fully meets their mutual obligation requirements and achieve a full outcome after 13 weeks in a job, and do not volunteer for further services
• If they are in receipt of an income support payment with no requirements and commence in a job at the level required to achieve a full outcome, and achieve a full outcome after 13 weeks
• If they commence in Small Business Coaching as part of Self-Employment Assistance (however while in Small Business Training, the job seeker will remain connected to their provider)

Providers can exit the job seeker in the following circumstances:

• If they are in receipt of an income support payment with no mutual obligation requirements and no longer wish to volunteer
• If they are a principal carer, mature age or have been assessed with a partial capacity to work (PCW 0-14) and are fully meeting their part-time mutual obligation requirements and do not wish to volunteer:
• the activity duration will determine whether they are suspended or exited. If the activity is:
  - less than 13 weeks, the job seeker will be suspended
  - for longer than 13 weeks, the job seeker will be exited
• Job seekers with a PCW of 0-14 hours per week who do not wish to volunteer
• Principal carers with long-term exemptions (16 weeks or more) who do not wish to volunteer

Job seekers who have mutual obligation requirements will be automatically suspended or exited from Workforce Australia or CDP in the following circumstances and do not wish to volunteer:

• When they have an exemption from their mutual obligation requirements
• Participating in an approved activity to fully meet their mutual obligation requirements:
• the activity duration will determine whether they are suspended or exited. If the activity is:
  - less than 13 weeks, the job seeker will be suspended
  - for longer than 13 weeks, the job seeker will be exited
• Principal carers or job seekers assessed as having a partial capacity to work (PCW 0-14), by undertaking suitable paid work/self-employment for at least 30 hours per fortnight, studying full-time or working their assessed capacity
• Mature age 55+ by undertaking approved voluntary or suitable paid work for at least 30 hours per fortnight
• When they have a temporary reduced work capacity (TRWC) of less than 15 hours per week

Providers can also manually suspend services to a voluntary job seeker if the provider assesses that the job seeker is unable to participate for a certain period of time.

There is no minimum or maximum time for suspensions. However, job seekers can volunteer for employment services during the period of suspension.

Unless already booked by the provider, Services Australia should book the re-engagement appointment for the job seeker with their Employment Services Provider at the end of the suspension period, using the new appointment reason of 'Exemption/Approved Activity completed'.

Once the job seeker has been either exited or suspended from Workforce Australia or CDP, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) will send the notification to Services Australia. The status of exit or suspend can be viewed via the Participation Summary screen.

Job seekers with mutual obligation requirements, who have been exited or been suspended from CDP, will be Centrelink managed. The Managed by field, which is located on the Participation Summary screen, should be used by a Service Officer to determine whether the job seeker is Centrelink or provider managed.