National Work Experience Programme 001-02280000

Following a government announcement, from 1 July 2022 providers ceased making referrals to the National Work Experience Programme (NWEP). NWEP ceased from 1 October 2022, as announced in the Federal Budget on 25 October 2022.

The objectives of NWEP were to address barriers to employer demand by providing opportunities for job seekers that increased their chances of obtaining sustainable employment.

Job seekers on JobSeeker Payment (JSP), Youth Allowance (YA), Special Benefit (SpB) and Parenting Payment both Partnered and Single were eligible.

Job seekers receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP), who were under the age of 35, were also able to participate in some circumstances.

The agency's role was:

• enable job seekers to receive an approved programme of work supplement of $20.80 per fortnight on top of their income support payment
• provide basic information about the programme to job seekers who were interested, and advise them they needed to contact their Provider for further information and referral to the programme, and
• implement appropriate compliance measures where necessary

Workforce Australia Employment Service Providers and DES providers were responsible for job seeker participation in NWEP. Providers were able to place job seekers in up to four weeks unpaid work experience, for up to 25 hours per week or at their assessed capacity, where there was potential for short term or ongoing paid employment.

While job seekers were undertaking NWEP, depending on the number of hours per week they were doing, they may have been required to continue undertaking job search activities.

Participants in NWEP were required to negotiate a Job Plan with Workforce Australia or a Disability Employment Services provider.

Failure to comply with a compulsory activity in job plan

A mutual obligation failure was committed where a Job Plan included participation in NWEP as a compulsory activity and the job seeker:

• failed to attend the NWEP activity
• had unauthorised absences from their NWEP activity
• failed to complete the required number of hours, or
• engaged in misconduct (disruptive or uncooperative behaviour) while attending a NWEP activity

A participation suspension prompted the job seeker to contact their provider. The provider had responsibility for notifying appropriate reconnection requirements, and determined when the conditions had been met to lift the payment suspension. If the job seeker did not have a valid reason for the mutual obligation failure, a demerit or financial penalty may also have applied, depending on which Targeted Compliance Framework zone applied.