Self-Employment Assistance 001-02100000

If a customer wants to start a small business or is already running a micro-business, they can access Small Business Training. This accredited training course helps job seekers gain a nationally recognised qualification and is appropriate to starting and/or running a small business. Depending on the type of proposed new business, or existing micro business, the Self-Employment Assistance provider will refer the job seeker to a:

• Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and New Business (BSB30220)
• Certificate IV in Entrepreneurship and New Business (BSB40320)
• Micro Business Skill Set (BSBSS00102)
• New Business Ventures Skill Set (BSBSS00103), or
• Small Business Management Skill Set (BSBSS00104)

During the training, job seekers will develop a Business Plan. This will need approval from their Self-Employment Assistance provider.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) notifies Services Australia when:

• a job seeker with mutual obligation requirements starts Small Business Training, and
• they receive:
• JobSeeker Payment (JSP)
• Youth Allowance (YA)
• Parenting Payment Single (PPS), or
• Special Benefit (SpB)

The activity auto-displays on the Activity and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen in Process Direct with the activity type code 'Small Business Training'.

To view an approved activity in Process Direct:

• Key AEX in the Super Key, select Enter
• The AEX screen will display activity type Small Business Training, with start and end dates as per DEWR's advice

For Disability Support Payment (DSP) customers with participation requirements and participating in Small Business Training, the AEX screen will not display the 'Small Business Training' activity. To view details in this activity:

• access the Participation Summary page in Process Direct
• select the Activity type/Non-applied exemptions tab

In addition:

• negotiate the DSP Participation Plan, and
• include 'Small Business Training/Coaching' as required

For details on negotiating a DSP Participation Plan, see Disability Support Pension (DSP) Participation Plan.

Job seekers can attend the Small Business Training activity, before the Small Business Coaching start date. They can record their attendance as part of their points based activity (PBA). Job seekers undertaking Small Business Training may be eligible for EdEP. See Education Entry Payment (EdEP) for details of eligibility and coding requirements.

Participation in Small Business Training fully satisfies the job seeker’s requirements, and they will continue to receive their income support payment for the duration of their Small Business Training. The job seeker continues to be managed by their employment services provider. The employment services provider should negotiate a Job Plan with the job seeker and include the Small Business Training activity.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) notifies Services Australia when a customer getting Age Pension, Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP), Disability Support Pension (DSP), PPS (with a child aged under 6), or Carer Payment (CP), starts Small Business Training. However, the AEX screen will not display the Small Business Training activity.

These customers are not subject to mutual obligation requirements or participation requirements. Their participation in Small Business Training will have no impact on their payment eligibility.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) notify Services Australia when a job seeker in receipt of JobSeeker Payment (JSP), Youth Allowance (YA) or Special Benefit (SpB) (under JSP conditions) starts Small Business Coaching under Self-Employment Assistance. The Small Business Coaching activity will auto-display on the Activity and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen. If the job seeker is also receiving the 'Self-Employment Allowance', the details will display on the Other Government Payments (OGP) screen.

JSP and SpB job seekers, undertaking Small Business Coaching and eligible for a partial rate of income support payment, are deemed as fully meeting their mutual obligation requirements. As such, Small Business Coaching participants (apart from those with DES providers) are managed by Services Australia. They are exited from their Workforce Australia Service provider's caseload, as they are not required to attend any provider appointments. Negotiate a new Job Plan with the Small Business Coaching participant.

When the Small Business Coaching activity notification is received from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), the job seeker's income support payable rate (including add-ons) is reduced by the amount of Self-Employment Allowance received (direct deduction, dollar-for-dollar). Self-Employment Allowance is paid at the 'single, 22 or over, with no children' rate of JobSeeker Payment (JSP) which will:

• often be more than the job seeker's rate of income support, and
• usually reduce the income support rate to nil

If the job seeker is receiving a higher rate of JSP or SpB, they may have an ongoing entitlement to a partial rate of income support payment in addition to Self-Employment Allowance. These job seekers must continue to report their personal and business income.

When a job seeker’s rate is reduced to nil due to Self-Employment Allowance and earnings combined, their income support payment status may display as 'current at zero rate (CUR/CZR)'. The Income support payment will auto cancel after 12 consecutive fortnights of nil rate.

The Services Australia system automatically codes the OGP screen with the event start date, amount and payment frequency of Self-Employment Allowance as per advice received from DEWR. No manual coding of the OGP screen is required.

JSP, YA and SpB job seekers who receive Self-Employment Allowance from DEWR, which results in the cancellation of their income support payment from Services Australia, may be eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card (LIC). These job seekers should test their eligibility by lodging a claim for a LIC.

Create a Display On Access DOC using reason code OTH, stating the job seeker is undertaking Small Business Coaching and fully meeting their mutual obligation requirements.

When a JSP, YA or SpB job seeker (with a status of current) is suspended from Small Business Coaching:

• an advice is sent from Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), and
• the Small Business Coaching end date is auto-extended by 13 weeks on the AEX screen

If a JSP, YA or SpB job seeker claims or enquires about an income support payment due to Self-Employment Allowance suspension, contact the provider to confirm the job seeker's Small Business Coaching suspension reason. If the suspension is due to:

• a medical condition or a crisis/emergency situation leading to claiming Disaster Recovery Allowance (or another emergency payment) and it is confirmed that Self-Employment Allowance is suspended, and all other eligibility rules are met:
• grant or reassess the rate of income support payment for the period of the Small Business Coaching suspension
• other reasons, such as not complying with Small Business Coaching requirements:
• reject the claim because the job seeker is receiving a precluding payment
• refer the job seeker back to their Self-Employment provider

Staff must:

• record on a DOC any discussions with Self-Employment providers
• scan any documentation provided by the job seeker which confirms suspension of participation in Small Business Coaching
• where appropriate, ask the job seeker to provide their medical evidence to Services Australia so an exemption from their mutual obligations may be considered. See Mutual obligation requirements exemptions

For information about Small Business Coaching participants claiming income support payments after their Self-Employment Allowance ceases, see Table 9.

When a Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) job seeker commences Small Business Coaching, the activity will not display on the Activities and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen.

PPP job seekers who change from income support payment to Self-Employment Allowance may also be entitled to a partial rate payment from Services Australia. Self-Employment Allowance is paid at the 'single, 22 or over, with no children' rate of JobSeeker Payment (JSP). PPP (including add-ons) is reduced by the amount of Self-Employment Allowance received (direct deduction, dollar-for-dollar), which:

• is often more than the job seeker's former rate of PPP, and
• usually reduces the PPP rate to nil

Therefore, most job seekers getting PPP will be auto-cancelled on receiving Self-Employment Allowance.

An activity sent by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), auto codes the Other Government Payments (OGP) screen with the event start date, amount and payment frequency of Self-Employment Allowance. No manual coding of the OGP screen is required.

PPP job seekers whose income support payment is cancelled due to transferring to Self-Employment Allowance may be eligible for an extended concession card entitlement. Once this entitlement ends, these job seekers may be eligible for a Low Income Card (LIC) and should test their eligibility by lodging a claim for a LIC.

Parenting Payment Single (PPS) job seekers can continue to receive their income support payment or elect to receive Self-Employment Allowance and a partial rate of their income support payment.

When a PPS job seeker with mutual obligation requirements starts Small Business Coaching, it will:

• auto-display on the Activity and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen, and
• include the start date and the expected end date

When a PPS job seeker with no mutual obligation requirements starts Small Business Coaching, the AEX screen will not be coded.

When a PPS job seeker elects to receive Self-Employment Allowance, it will be recorded on the OGP screen. An activity sent by Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) auto codes the OGP screen with the event start date, amount and payment frequency of Self-Employment Allowance. No manual coding of the OGP screen is required.

The job seeker's income support payment (including add-ons) will be reduced by the amount of Self-Employment Allowance they receive (direct deduction, dollar-for-dollar). Job seekers remaining on a partial rate of PPS must report personal and business income.

Alternatively, PPS job seekers can continue to receive their Services Australia income support payment, rather than Self-Employment Allowance from DEWR. Self-Employment Allowance will not be recorded on the OGP screen and no coding is required.

When a PPS job seeker with mutual obligation requirements is suspended from Small Business Coaching:

• an advice is sent from Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), and
• the Small Business Coaching end date is auto-extended by 13 weeks on the AEX screen

If a PPS job seeker claims or enquires about an income support payment because of a Self-Employment Allowance suspension, contact the Self-Employment Assistance provider to confirm the job seeker's Small Business Coaching suspension reason. If the suspension is due to:

• a medical condition or a crisis/emergency situation leading to claiming Disaster Recovery Allowance (or another emergency payment) and it is confirmed that Self-Employment Allowance is suspended, and all other eligibility rules are met:
• grant an income support payment for the period of the Small Business Coaching participation suspension
• other reasons, such as not complying with Small Business Coaching program requirements:
• reject the claim because the job seeker is receiving a precluding payment
• refer the job seeker back to their Self-Employment Assistance provider

Staff must:

• record on a DOC any discussions with Self-Employment Assistance providers
• scan any documents provided by the job seeker which confirm suspension of participation in Small Business Coaching
• where appropriate, ask the job seeker to provide their medical evidence to Services Australia so an exemption from their mutual obligations may be considered. See Mutual obligation requirements exemptions

For information about Small Business Coaching participants claiming income support payments after their Self-Employment Allowance ceases, see Table 9.

When a Carer Payment (CP) job seeker starts Small Business Coaching and receives Self-Employment Allowance, it:

• auto-displays on the Other Government Payments (OGP) screen as Self-Employment Allowance, and
• includes the event start date, amount, and payment frequency

CP job seekers can elect to continue to get their Services Australia income support payment, rather than receive Self-Employment Allowance from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). In these cases, no manual coding of the OGP screen is required.

If a CP job seeker chooses to transfer to Self-Employment Allowance at a later stage during the Self-Employment Allowance period, they must inform Services Australia of this change. Following confirmation from DEWR that the CP job seeker has started getting Self-Employment Allowance, the OGP screen will be coded with the fortnightly Self-Employment Allowance amount. Tell the job seeker their income support payment (including add-ons) will be reduced by the amount of Self-Employment Allowance (direct deduction, dollar-for-dollar). Job seekers remaining on a partial rate of CP must report their personal and business income.

CP job seekers, whose income support payment is cancelled due to transferring to Self-Employment Allowance, may be eligible for an extended concession card entitlement. Once this entitlement ends, these job seekers may be eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card (LIC). They can test their eligibility by lodging a claim for a LIC.

When a CP job seeker is suspended from Small Business Coaching activity, an advice is sent from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). However, the Small Business Coaching suspension is not auto-displayed on the job seeker's record.

If a CP job seeker claims or enquires about an income support payment due to Self-Employment Allowance suspension, contact the Self-Employment Assistance provider to confirm the job seeker's Small Business Coaching suspension reason. If the suspension is due to:

• a medical condition or a crisis/emergency situation leading to claiming Disaster Recovery Allowance (or another emergency payment) and it is confirmed that Self-Employment Allowance is suspended, and all other eligibility rules are met:
• grant an income support payment for the period of the Small Business Coaching participation suspension
• other reasons, such as not complying with Small Business Coaching program requirement:
• reject the claim because the job seeker is receiving a precluding payment
• refer the job seeker back to their Self-Employment Assistance provider

Staff must:

• record on a DOC any discussions with Self-Employment Assistance providers
• scan any documents provided by the job seeker which confirm suspension of participation in Small Business Coaching
• where appropriate, ask the job seeker to provide any medical evidence to Services Australia so an exemption from their mutual obligations may be considered. See Mutual obligation requirements exemptions

For information about Small Business Coaching participants claiming income support payments after their Self-Employment Allowance ceases, see Table 9.

Tell CP job seekers that if they choose to transfer to Self-Employment Allowance, any business income (and any external business income up to double the rate of Self-Employment Allowance) will not be subject to any income or assets testing.

For Disability Support Payment (DSP) customers with participation requirements and participating in Small Business Coaching, the Activity and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen will not display the 'Small Business Coaching' activity. To view details in this activity:

• access the Participation Summary page in Process Direct
• select the Activity type/Non-applied exemptions tab

In addition:

• negotiate the DSP Participation Plan, and
• include 'Small Business Training/Coaching' as required

For details on negotiating DSP Participation Plan, see Disability Support Pension (DSP) Participation Plan.

DSP job seekers, who continue to receive income support payment whilst receiving Self-Employment Allowance, retain entitlement to any auto-issued Pensioner Concession Card (PCC).

When a Disability Support Pension (DSP) job seeker starts Small Business Coaching, it auto-displays on the Other Government Payments (OGP) screen as Self-Employment Allowance. It will include the event start date, amount and payment frequency.

DSP job seekers can elect to continue to receive their Services Australia income support payment, rather than receive Self-Employment Allowance from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). In these cases, no coding is required on the OGP screen.

If a DSP job seeker chooses to transfer to Self-Employment Allowance at a later stage during the Self-Employment Allowance period:

• DEWR will electronically notify Services Australia that the DSP job seeker has commenced receiving Self-Employment Allowance, and
• the OGP screen will be coded with the fortnightly Self-Employment Allowance amount
• tell the job seeker that their income support payment (including add-ons) will be reduced by the amount of Self-Employment Allowance that they receive (direct deduction, dollar-for-dollar)

DSP job seekers, who continue to receive income support payment whilst getting Self-Employment Allowance, retain entitlement to any auto-issued Pensioner Concession Card (PCC). Job seekers remaining on a partial rate of DSP must report their personal and business income.

DSP job seekers, whose income support payment has been cancelled due to transferring to Self-Employment Allowance, may be eligible for an extended concession card entitlement. Once this entitlement ends, these job seekers may be eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card (LIC). They can test their eligibility by lodging a claim for a LIC.

When a DSP job seeker is suspended from Small Business Coaching, an advice will be sent from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), however, the Small Business Coaching participation suspension will not be auto-displayed on the job seeker's record.

If a DSP job seeker claims or enquires about an income support payment due to Self-Employment Allowance suspension, contact the Self-Employment Assistance provider to confirm the job seeker's Small Business Coaching suspension reason. If the suspension is due to:

• a medical condition or a crisis/emergency situation leading to claiming Disaster Recovery Allowance (or another emergency payment) and it is confirmed that Self-Employment Allowance is suspended, and all other eligibility rules are met:
• grant an income support payment for the period of the Small Business Coaching participation suspension
• other reasons, such as not complying with Small Business Coaching program requirements:
• reject the claim because the job seeker is receiving a precluding payment
• refer the job seeker back to their Self-Employment Assistance provider

Staff must:

• record on a DOC any discussions with Self-Employment Assistance providers
• scan any documentation provided by the job seeker which confirms suspension of participation in Small Business Coaching and suspension of Self-Employment Allowance
• where appropriate, ask the job seeker to provide any medical evidence to Services Australia so an exemption from their mutual obligations may be considered. See Mutual obligation requirements exemptions

For information about Small Business Coaching participants claiming income support payments after their Self-Employment Allowance ceases, see Table 9.

Tell DSP job seekers that if they choose to transfer to Self-Employment Allowance, any business income (and any external business income only up to double the rate of Self-Employment Allowance) will not be subject to any income or assets testing.

When an Age pensioner starts Small Business Coaching, the Small Business Coaching activity will not display on the Activities and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen. Details of Self-Employment Allowance will auto-display on the Other Government Payments (OGP) screen and will include the event start date, amount and payment frequency.

Age pensioners can elect to continue to receive their Services Australia income support payment, rather than receive Self-Employment Allowance from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). In these cases, no coding is required on the OGP screen.

If an Age pensioner chooses to transfer to Self-Employment Allowance at a later stage during the Self-Employment Allowance period:

• DEWR will electronically notify Services Australia that the Age pensioner has commenced receiving Self-Employment Allowance, and
• the OGP screen will be coded with the fortnightly Self-Employment Allowance amount
• Services Australia staff must tell these participants that their income support payment (including add-ons) will be reduced by the amount of Self-Employment Allowance that they receive (direct deduction, dollar-for-dollar)

Age pensioners, who continue to receive income support payment whilst receiving Self-Employment Allowance, retain entitlement to any auto-issued Pensioner Concession Card (PCC).

Age pensioners, whose income support payment cancels due to transferring to Self-Employment Allowance, may be eligible for an extended concession card entitlement.

When an Age pensioner is suspended from Small Business Coaching, an advice will be sent from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). However, the Small Business Coaching suspension will not be auto-displayed on the pensioner's record.

If an AGE pensioner claims or enquires about an income support payment due to Self-Employment Allowance suspension, contact the Self-Employment Assistance provider to confirm the pensioner's Small Business Coaching suspension reason. If the suspension is due to:

• a medical condition, or a crisis/emergency situation leading to claiming Disaster Recovery Allowance (or another emergency payment) and it is confirmed that Self-Employment Allowance is suspended, and all other eligibility rules are met:
• grant an income support payment for the period of the Small Business Coaching participation suspension
• other reasons, such as not complying with Small Business Coaching program requirements:
• reject the claim because the job seeker is receiving a precluding payment
• refer the job seeker back to their Self-Employment Assistance provider

Staff must:

• record on a DOC any discussions with Self-Employment Assistance providers
• scan any documentation provided by the pensioner which confirms suspension of participation in Small Business Coaching

For information about Small Business Coaching participants claiming income support payments after their Self-Employment Allowance ceases, see Table 9.

Inform Age pensioners that if they choose to transfer to Self-Employment Allowance, any business income (and any external business income only up to double the rate of Self-Employment Allowance) will not be subject to any income or assets testing.

Inform all job seekers that any income support payment (including partial rate) paid by Services Australia is subject to the income and assets test. Income from the business is subject to the income test and may impact partner income support payments. You and/or your partner may need to complete a MOD F when you start the Small Business Coaching'.

Cancellation of income support payments will only occur if the:

• income test has been applied, and
• amount of Self-Employment Allowance and/or business income received precludes any rate of income support payment

If the Small Business Coaching applicant has dependents receiving YA, ABSTUDY or AIC, record the parent's Small Business Coaching details on the Other Government Payments (OGP) screen.

Under the personal income test, all income earned in each fortnightly period must be declared. The relevant income free area and taper rates apply.

If the job seeker's income reduces their fortnightly rate to nil and some of that income is employment income, their payment may remain current. It will enter an employment income nil rate period during which they may retain certain benefits. Working credits accrue up to a maximum of:

• 1,000 credits for JobSeeker Payment (JSP) job seekers
• 3,500 credits for Youth Allowance (YA) (job seekers)

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) can pay eligible participants a fixed rate of payment for a period up to a maximum of 26 weeks from the date they first start receiving Self-Employment Allowance. It is paid to Small Business Coaching participants who were receiving RA from Services Australia under their current Allowance/Pension at the date they first start receiving Self-Employment Allowance.

Participants may also choose to cancel their Services Australia Rent Assistance to receive the DEWR Rental Assistance (RA). However, if a Small Business Coaching participant is receiving RA because they receive more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit (FTB), RA will continue to be paid by Services Australia with their FTB for as long as the job seeker is entitled to RA. It is not limited to 26 weeks. The Small Business Coaching participant's partner may also be entitled to RA from Services Australia for the same period.

Self-Employment Assistance RA eligibility is confirmed with the DEWR form - Confirmation of Eligibility for Self-Employment Rental Assistance. The Self-Employment Assistance provider will issue this form to prospective participants who then bring it to Services Australia for completion. The Small Business Coaching participant then returns the form to the provider. Self-Employment RA is non-taxable income and is not viewable in Services Australia systems.

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) Small Business Coaching transactions can sometimes result in an overpayment. Started activities will appear on the AL screen with the keyword 'OGSEA'.

• Do not delete this activity to finalise another activity, as this could lead to duplicate payments of income support and Self-Employment Allowance
• Finalise the started activity before any action is taken on a job seeker's record
• Where required, contact a Subject Matter Expert (SME) or Participation Programs Team following local escalation procedures

If the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) advise that a Small Business Coaching activity was 'Created In Error', the system will automatically delete:

• the 'Small Business Coaching' activity from the Activity and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen for participants with mutual obligation requirements; or
• the 'Self-Employment Allowance' from the Other Government Payments (OGP) screen for participants who were getting Self-Employment Allowance

Participants who are still current on their income support payment will have their rate automatically re-calculated as per their existing assessment rules.

Participants, whose income support payment was cancelled due to receipt of Self-Employment Allowance, will have a Manual Follow-up (MFU) activity created.

The MFU:

• has the keyword 'SEACIE' on the customer's Activity List (AL) screen
• is created from the advice received from DEWR that the current Small Business Coaching placement was 'Created In Error'
• includes the text 'DEWR advised customer was placed in Self-Employment Assistance in error resulting in cancellation of ISP. Please follow-up and restore/regrant payment if appropriate. See OpB 001-02100000 for details'

Contact the customer if the MFU activity is present. This is to ensure the customer is still entitled to income support payment. If so, compete all outstanding reporting statements at the same time as the restoration.

For restoration/reassessment of:

• AGE, see Restoration of Age Pension
• CAR, see Restoration of Carer Payment (CP)
• DSP, see Restoration of Disability Support Pension (DSP)
• JSP, SPL or YAL, see Restoration of JobSeeker Payment (JS), Youth Allowance (job seeker) and Special Benefit (SpB)
• PPP or PPS, see Restoration of Parenting Payment (PP)

When a Small Business Coaching participant receives Self-Employment Allowance from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), it is paid for the first 39 weeks of the 52 weeks of Small Business Coaching only. After this, participants can:

• re-test their eligibility for income support payment (if their payments were cancelled), or
• have their rate of payment reassessed with no further direct deductions due to Self-Employment Allowance

If a participant exits Small Business Coaching before they reach 39 weeks of Self-Employment Allowance, they:

• will need to re-test their eligibility for an income support payment (if their payments were cancelled), or
• will have their rate of payment reassessed with no further direct deductions because of Self-Employment Allowance, and
• may be referred to Employment Services to participate in other activities

These participants will receive a letter from their Self-Employment Assistance provider with details of their final payment of Self-Employment Allowance. The letter will tell them to contact Centrelink to determine eligibility to any ongoing payments, including reclaiming income support if they were cancelled. The letter tells the participants to show Centrelink the letter as evidence of the ending of Self-Employment Allowance. Check the Small Business Coaching participant has uploaded this letter to their record.

Is the participant claiming or receiving a payment with mutual obligation requirements or participation requirements?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

Small Business Coaching participants who are still receiving a partial rate of income support payment will continue to have the Small Business Coaching display on the Activity and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen in Process Direct until the end of their 52 weeks.

These job seekers are still fully meeting their requirements by participating in Small Business Coaching.

They remain Centrelink managed for the rest of the Small Business Coaching period.

As part of their reclaim and where they have mutual obligation requirements, staff must complete a new Job Plan for the rest of the Small Business Coaching activity period.

For Centrelink Managed Job Plan, the system will auto populate the Job Plan with the following requirement based on the existing activity coded on the AEX screen:

• 'I agree to undertake Small Business Coaching for 12 months with [organisation] from [Start Date] to [End Date].'
• Select Edit to manually enter the Provider/Organisation name. The Service Officer will be required to ask the job seeker to advise the Provider/Organisation name
• Select Save
• Service Officers will be presented with the error 'SR217PA – Please finalise incomplete activities' where an organisation name has not been added

For DSP customers, if required, update the DSP Participation Plan and include the 'Small Business Training/Coaching' activity. For more details, see Disability Support Pension (DSP) Participation Plan.

These job seekers remain ineligible for Workforce Australia services until they:

• complete Small Business Coaching, and
• are exited by their Self-Employment Assistance provider

They cannot be referred to a Workforce Australia provider during this period. Register the job seeker as Job Seeker Registration Only (JSRO) using the 'Self-Employment Assistance Participant' reason.

Job seekers can participate in Disability Employment Services (DES) and Small Business Coaching concurrently. These job seekers should still be connected to their DES provider. No referral action is necessary.

Small Business Coaching participants who are claiming JSP or YA (other) are exempt from RapidConnect requirements as they are registered as a Job Seeker Registration Only (JSRO) job seeker.

Apply a manual RapidConnect exemption during the Participation Interview through the Referral Determination screen. At the question 'Do you wish to manually exempt from RapidConnect?'

• Select Yes
• Select Other Reasons from the drop down menu

Small Business Coaching participants still receiving a partial rate of a payment will have their Self-Employment Allowance automatically zeroed from the 'Allowance End Date +1' as advised by Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).

Check the OGP screen to ensure Self-Employment Allowance has been zeroed. Otherwise, their claim will reject 'CPP - Customer on Precluding Payment' or 'SEA - Self Employment Allowance'.

The letter from the Self-Employment Assistance provider is the only evidence required to manually zero off Self-Employment Allowance from the date Self-Employment Allowance ceased. Ensure the letter has been provided by the participant and scanned to their record. If necessary, for example, participant has lost their letter, contact the Self-Employment Assistance provider to get confirmation of the Self-Employment Allowance end date.

If needed, zero the Self-Employment Allowance on the OGP screen with a date of effect of the last date paid Self-Employment Allowance plus 1 day.

Where the participant is already past their 52 week Small Business Coaching period:

• no evidence is required to manually zero off the Self-Employment Allowance on the OGP screen. Use a date of effect of either:
• the last date of participation as per the AEX screen, or
• 52 weeks from their Small Business Coaching start date

Note: there are no special backdating provisions applying to job seekers claiming or requesting reassessments following Self-Employment Allowance cessation.

Small Business Coaching participants whose rate was reduced by Self-Employment Allowance will have this automatically zeroed on the OGP screen at 39 weeks. Self-Employment Allowance for these customers does not need to be manually zeroed to restore payment back to full rate.

Make sure all their relevant business income and assets details are reviewed and updated (if required).