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Assessing independence for Youth Allowance (job seeker) customers with a partial capacity to work 001-04030050

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This document outlines information to help Service Officers decide if a customer is eligible for independent status for Youth Allowance (YA) because the customer has a partial capacity to work.

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Assessing independence due to a partial capacity to work for JCA acceptance and/or DSP new claims

Assessing independence due to partial capacity to work (PCW)


Assessing independence due to a partial capacity to work for JCA acceptance and/or DSP new claims

Table 1

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Step

Action

1

JCA acceptance and/or DSP new claims in Process Direct

Where a Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) requires acceptance in Process Direct for a DSP new claim, the Medical Conditions Details (MC) screen automatically populates.

The Independent/Homeless/Away from Home Details (NIH) screen must be manually coded in the following scenarios:

  • Youth Allowance (YA) job seeker receiving payment at the start date of the DSP claim
  • YA job seeker receiving payment at the start date of the claim and has a previous reviewable independence reason coded on the NIH screen
  • YA job seeker if the start date on the Newstart Education Status (NES) screen is after the start date of the DSP claim

An error message E516NM may present when attempting to accept the JCA report if the auto coding is unable to complete.

Is error E516NM displaying when attempting JCA acceptance?

2

JCA report cannot be accepted due to error E516NM

Error E516NM - This customer is eligible for the Independent Rate of YAL will present when:

  • there is no coding on the NIH and the customer is eligible for independence under a PCW, or
  • the coding of the PCW independence on NIH is from the wrong date

Disability processing staff must code the NIH screen within the JCA report work item in Process Direct when accepting the JCA.

Use Process Direct:

  • Go to the Transactions tile
  • Select the JCA Report work item
  • Go to the NIH screen
  • In Act, key 'IND'
  • In Start date key the later of either:
    • the date of acceptance of JCA or
    • YAL Job Seeker start date
  • In Start/ Reject Reason, key ‘PCW’
  • Finalise the activity on the Entitlements (ELD) screen

Note: customers assessed as having a Partial Capacity to Work (PCW) will be paid Youth Disability Supplement (YDS) with:

  • DSP, from the start date of grant, or
  • YA or ABSTUDY, from the acceptance date of the JCA

Go to Step 3.

3

DSP new claim requires coding correction

Check the MC screen has been coded from the DSP claim start date.

Where the start date is correct, finalise the JCA/ESAt acceptance via the Entitlements (ELD) screen. Procedure ends here.

Otherwise, correct the MC screen.

In Process Direct:

  • Key 'MC' into the Super Key, select [Enter]
  • Select Edit
  • Key event date to match the start date of the DSP claim

If the customer is being rejected for DSP, tell the customer they have been granted the independent rate of Youth Allowance (YA) job seeker, during the Service Officer Interview.

Procedure ends here.


Assessing independence due to partial capacity to work (PCW)

Table 2

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Step

Action

1

Assessing a YA customer for PCW independence

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained. Is the customer lodging a YA new claim?

  • Yes, to confirm if the customer states they have a partial capacity to work (PCW) check:
    • Personal Details in the online claim, or
    • question 15 of the claim for Youth Allowance form (SY001)
    • go to Step 2
  • No, the customer is current on YA, go to Step 2

2

PCW eligibility check for YA customers

Check the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen.

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.Is the customer a YA job seeker?

  • Yes, and the customer is:
    • eligible for another type of independence, for example Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH), assess that first. Do not apply PCW. See Independence for Youth Allowance (YA) customers
    • currently granted independence for another reason. Do not apply PCW. DOC the record advising the customer is already independent for another reason and PCW has not been coded. Procedure ends here
    • currently a dependent, go to Step 3
  • No, the customer is not independent on these grounds, go to Step 10

3

Assessment of partial capacity for work (PCW)

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained. Regardless of the age of the assessment, a partial capacity to work (PCW) remains in place for a job seeker:

  • for the purposes of determining mutual obligation requirements
  • until superseded by a new Employment Services Assessment (ESAt)/Job Capacity Assessment (JCA)

Obtain a new ESAt when:

  • there is a change in circumstances, and/or
  • the assessment is no longer valid

Has the customer's current capacity to work been assessed?

4

Customer's current capacity to work

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.The customer's current capacity to work must be assessed by an Assessment Services Assessor.

If the customer does not have a current assessed partial capacity to work, make a referral for the customer to attend an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) appointment.

See Request an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt).

Go to Step 10.

5

Current participation category

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.A customer's current participation category is identified on the Participation Summary. To view these details, see Participation Summary.

The customer's participation categories are calculated based on their payment type, age, mutual obligation requirements indicator, Temporary Reduced Work Capacity (TRWC) and future capacity to work with intervention (PCW).

The following participation categories represent customers assessed as having a PCW:

  • JSP/PP/YA/SPL WKCAP 0-14 hrs/wk - N00
  • JSP/YA/SPL WKCAP 15-22 hrs/wk - N15
  • JSP/YA/SPL WKCAP 23-29 hrs/wk - N23

Has the assessment of the customer's work capacity resulted in them having a partial capacity to work (PCW)?

  • Yes, the customer is considered independent under PCW. Go to Step 6
  • No, the customer is not independent on these grounds. Go to Step 10

6

Commencement date for independence

The commencement date for the independent status is taken to be one of the following:

  • YA New claims and current customers
    • The partial capacity for work (PCW) status start date should be the ESAt (or JCA) acceptance date
  • Transfer from YAL-STU to YA (job seeker)
    • If the job seeker already has a PCW assessed, code the commencement date as the date they transferred to YA (job seeker)

If accepting a JCA or ESAt, go to Step 7.

Otherwise, go to Step 8.

7

Coding independence within a JCA or ESAt report activity

To make sure the customer is granted the correct YA rate, confirm there are no changes to the customers accommodation circumstances. See:

Due to a system limitation, additional updates unrelated to the JCA/ESAt or independence coding may not be applied when the acceptance activity is finalised. If a change in circumstances applies, for example an accommodation update, staff must code these changes in a separate activity.

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.Code independence on the system, in Process Direct:

  • Within the ESAt/JCA report work item
  • Go to the Independent / Homeless / Away From Home Details (NIH) screen
  • Key 'IND' in the Act field
  • Key in the Start date field as the later of either:
    • the ESAt or JCA acceptance date, or
    • the YAL Job Seeker start date
  • Key the Start/Reject Reason field as 'PCW'
  • Finalise the activity on the Entitlements (ELD) screen, Go to Step 9

8

Coding independence

To make sure the customer is granted the correct YA rate, confirm there are no changes to the customers accommodation circumstances. See

If a change in accommodation circumstances applies, staff must code these in the same activity as the Independent / Homeless / Away From Home Details (NIH) screen update.

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.Code independence on the system:

  • Go to the NIH screen
  • Key 'IND' in the Act field
  • Key in the Start date field as the later of either:
    • the ESAt or JCA acceptance date, or
    • the YAL Job Seeker start date
  • Key the Start/Reject Reason field as 'PCW'
  • Complete the Source and DOR details as appropriate
  • Complete all other coding required for the new claim or change of circumstance
  • Finalise the activity on the Entitlements (ELD) screen, go to Step 9

9

Customer to be granted independent status

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.Tell the customer they have been granted independent status for the period they are assessed as having a partial capacity to work (PCW). An auto letter will issue.

Note: an automatic review is created to reassess the customer's eligibility for independent status if there is a change to their work capacity. See Reviews of independence for Youth Allowance for details, if required.

Record details on a DOC.

Note: if a customer has received a Crisis Payment (CrP) and a change has occurred, a manual reassessment of the Crisis Payment (CrP) may be required. For more information, see Reviewing and reassessing Crisis Payment (CrP).

Procedure ends here.

10

Pending ESAt outcome

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

New claim:

Did the customer provide parental income?

  • Yes, and the customer is:
    • payable as a dependant, process the claim as normal pending the ESAt outcome
    • not payable as a dependent due to Parental Income too High (PIH)
      - do not reject the claim
      - place the claim on hold for 28 days using the Third Party to Provide Information hold reason, until the ESAt is completed
      - record why the claim is on hold by creating or updating the Progress of claim DOC on the Document List (DL) screen
      - if the ESAt is not completed within 28 days of the claim being placed on hold, place the claim on hold for a further 14 days and DOC the record
  • No:
    • Do not reject the claim Parental Income not Provided (PIA)
    • Place the claim on hold for 28 days using the Third Party to Provide Information hold reason, until the ESAt has been completed
    • Record why the claim is on hold by creating or updating the Progress of claim DOC on the Document List (DL) screen
    • If the ESAt has not been completed within 28 days of the claim being placed on hold, place the claim on hold for a further 14 days and DOC the record

If the outcome of the ESAt does not result in a partial capacity to work, continue to process the claim as normal.

Non new claim:

The customer is to remain on current dependent rate pending the outcome of the ESAt.

If claim is to be rejected, consider other grounds for independence. See Independence for Youth Allowance (YA) customers.