Approved Activity Review Job Plan Contact 001-09100050

System process once job seeker completes an activity that attracts the Approved Activity Review (AAR) Contact

Once the job seeker completes an approved program or activity which attracts the AAR Contact, the job seeker will receive an online task or letter depending on whether they are registered for self service.

The system will create an online task or issue a letter 28 days before the activity expiry date.

If the job seeker fails to contact or complete the online task before the expiry of an approved activity, job seeker management requirements will commence, and they will be referred to an Employment Services Provider.

The exception to this is for the approved requirements below:

• Defence Force Reserve (DFR)
• Job seeker Full-time Student (STF)
• Job seeker Part-time Student (SPT)

When an approved requirement DRF, STF or SPT expires, a work item is created that will be allocated to a Service Officer to contact the job seeker.

Does the job seeker have either DFT, STF or SPT recorded as an approved activity?

• Yes, see Table 2
• No, go to Step 2

If the job seeker contacting has Personalised Servicing, see Referring customers to and handling customer enquiries and correspondence for Personalised Services.

Is the job seeker contacting about an online task?

• Yes:
• Tell the job seeker they need to complete the task if they still meet the approved activity criteria, and the activity will be extended
• Assist job seeker online to complete if having difficulty. If they are not continuing, they do not need to do anything. We will be in contact after the expiry date
• If the job seeker has already ceased participating in their approved activity prior to the expiry date, go to Step 3
• No, job seekers who have received a request to contact letter, go to Step 3

Review the Activity and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen for the expiring approved activity.

Actions and discussion points for review appointments include:

• assess outcomes from participation in a recent program or activity, and any follow up action required
• investigate whether the job seeker's circumstances have changed since the last review was undertaken (for example, now homeless, have an illness or changed family circumstances resulting in a possible exemption for a period)
• where necessary:
• re-run the Job Seeker Snapshot from the start job seeker registration workflow, and
• request an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) as required
• investigate whether all barriers to employment have been addressed
• discuss with the job seeker other options in terms of further requirements the job seeker could undertake to improve employment prospects
• for Centrelink managed job seekers, review the existing activity on the Activities and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen and update the Job Plan as necessary
• if not already referred and it is appropriate, refer the job seeker to a suitable Workforce Australia Employment Services Provider. If the job seeker has:
• a current and valid ESAt/Job Capacity Assessment (JCA), this action should take into account any referral recommendations in the ESAt/JCA
• already completed a period of participation in the recommended program - for example, exited from Disability Employment Services (DES) with an employment or education outcome - they would generally not be referred back to the same program on the basis of the original ESAt/JCA
• ensure the job seeker is engaged with their provider. If not, and no future appointments already exist, encourage the job seeker to contact their provider as soon as possible to book an appointment to re-negotiate their Job Plan

As a minimum outcome, each job seeker will:

• receive written advice regarding the requirement to negotiate a Job Plan
• have their Job Seeker Snapshot updated where necessary
• if they are a Centrelink managed job seeker, they will have their activities and Job Plan reviewed. Approved activities are to be updated on the Activities and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen. The system will determine if a new Job Plan should be negotiated, and
• if not already connected and if it is appropriate, they will be connected with a suitable Employment Services Provider

The ZALL_JSK_PLN work item relates to:

• Activities and Exemptions Summary (AEX) screen and Job Plan updates
• Approved activity and Job Plan reviews
• Failed Online-Mutual Obligation & Job Plan, or
• AEX Reviews

Service Officers must review the notes relating to the work item in:

• Process Direct (PD)
• the AEX screen displays the current Approved Activity that is expiring soon
• Key Information tab within the Participation Summary
• Action Item in the Job Plan tab on the Participation Summary
• Customer First (CF)
• activity notes on the Activity List (AL) screen
• Notes tab after searching the Online Interaction History using the work item ID number

When attempting to access the customer's record from the PD Inbox or Work Optimiser, if the error 'This work item cannot be processed using Process Direct' displays, see Table 2 > Step 4 in Job Seeker Management Activities for workaround.

If the work item is an:

• Online - AEX and Job Plan review, go to Step 2
• AEX review - the approved activity is either DFR, STF or SPT, go to Step 3

On receiving the work item, check note from Activities/Activity Details for corresponding work item ID (Maintain Activities & Exemptions).

'Customer actioned their 'Approved Activity End date' review online task'

If Note commences with: 'Customer actioned their 'Approved Activity End date' review online task', the job seeker has advised they are continuing with their activity.

Complete the activity and do not update the Job Plan if the job seeker:

• is a Disability Employment Service (DES) participant in Post Placement Support phase (see the job seeker's current Placement Type on the Provider referral information table within the Participation Summary), or
• has a current QTI activity coded

For all other current approved requirements:

If the activity is Voluntary Work (VWK) or a combination of Voluntary Work and another activity:

• Contact the job seeker and request that an SU462 - Verification of voluntary work form is completed by the job seeker and their Voluntary Work organisation
• Encourage the job seeker to provide the completed form, via the Document Lodgement service
• Upon return of the SU462, details of the Voluntary Work Organisation must be recorded on the Voluntary Work Details (VWDET) screen as part of coding the voluntary work activity on the AEX screen

Once SU462 is returned for Voluntary Work and for all other approved activities:

• in Process Direct:
• extend the approved activity 363 days from the current date and finalise the update
• negotiate a new Job Plan if prompted. Refer to the Key Information tab in the Participation Summary after the AEX activity is finalised
• send the Job Plan for online agreement by the job seeker
• create a note to summarise the customer interaction/discussion and the actions taken
• Once all actions have been completed, go to the Workspace in Customer First:
• search for Online Interaction Summary within the search window
• select Online Interaction Summary
• key the work Item ID in the Activity ID field and select Search
• select the activity via the hyperlink, then select Edit at the top of the screen
• change the status from 'For Manual Action' to 'Completed'
• select Save at the top of the screen
• no further action is required

There is no requirement for the job seeker to re-verify their ongoing participation in the approved activity e.g. part-time work, study or a combination of these activities. If any doubt exists, contact the job seeker before coding the extension.

'Customer used 'View approved activity or principal carer exemption' service'

If Note commences with: 'Customer used 'View approved activity or principal carer exemption' service', the job seeker is potentially advising of a change in circumstance to their recorded approved activity or exemption.

• Review the remainder of the notes provided by the job seeker
• Contact the job seeker to discuss their change in circumstances
• Update the job seeker's AEX screen. The system will determine if the Job Plan needs to be updated. Refer to the Key Information tab in the Participation Summary after the AEX activity is finalised
• Explain to the job seeker how the changes affect their mutual obligation requirements

Contact with job seeker is required, go to Step 3.

When it is necessary to contact a job seeker, make every reasonable and genuine effort to ensure contact is successful.

If the contact number recorded on the job seeker's record is a mobile number, and the job seeker is registered for SMS messaging, create a pre-call notification (SMS only) using Desktop Electronic Messaging Capability (DEMC). Following creation of the SMS, wait 5 minutes before making the outbound attempt.

Was the contact successful?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, if attempts to contact a job seeker on all available numbers is unsuccessful:
• Key sufficient detail about the outbound contact attempt using the Notes icon in Process Direct or Fast Note within Customer First to allow subsequent Service Officer to action the outstanding work when customer contacts
• Go to Step 4

Issue a Q164 letter asking the job seeker to contact Services Australia within 14 days:

• after an unsuccessful outbound contact attempt, or
• where there are no contact details or incorrect details are recorded (for example, the job seeker's phone number is not registered)

The job seeker has 14 days to respond after they receive the letter. Add extra days to allow time for mail delivery.

Determining the response due date

After issuing the letter, hold the work item until the day after the response due date. For customers in:

• major cities/regional areas, the response due date is 23 days from the day after the letter is issued:
• letter issued (day 0) + 9 days to allow time for mail delivery +14 days to respond = 23 days
• remote areas and overseas, the response due date is 30 days from the day after the letter is issued:
• letter issued (day 0) + 16 days to allow time for mail delivery + 14 days to respond = 30 days

If the due date falls on a public holiday or weekend, the due date will be the following business day.

• See Table 3 for instructions to hold a work item

If the job seeker:

• fails to contact, go to Step 5
• contacts because of the failed to reply to correspondence (FRC) suspension:
• restore payment
• review and update the AEX screen (if required)
• negotiate a Centrelink managed Job Plan (the Key Information Tab on the Participation Summary screen will confirm if a new Job Plan is required)
• action and complete all outstanding activities. Go to Step 6

If the job seeker fails to contact by the due date +1 after the Q164 is issued, Service Officers must determine if suspension action can be taken.

Before suspending, check that:

• the job seeker was given 'reasonable notice' to respond to the contact request after taking into account any factors that may have impacted the job seeker's ability to contact by the Q164 due date. Including, weekends and public holidays. See Allow extra time for mail delivery
• it is appropriate, after taking into account the job seeker's circumstances and any vulnerabilities the job seeker may experience. See Suspension of payments (CLK)

• Do not cancel the work item
• Hold the work item for 13 weeks from the suspension date. Go to Step 7

If it is appropriate to manually suspend a job seeker for Failing to Respond to Correspondence (SUS-FRC):

• see Suspension of payments (CLK) to complete the suspension action. Refer to the contents links for instructions on how to suspend each payment type
• consider linking a Note/DOC to the suspension activity before finalising the suspension processing
• In Process Direct, record details on a Note of the decision to suspend
• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Generic > SUS/CAN/RES > Suspend Cancel Reason
• Record details outlining the reason for suspension
• Include the follow-up action required if the customer contacts
• Advise if contact with the agency is required before payment can be restored or if smart centre telephony staff can restore the payment
• Do not cancel the work item
• Hold the Job Plan work item for 13 weeks from the date of suspension. See Table 3

• If the jobseeker was not given reasonable notice to respond to a Q164:
• hold the Job Plan work item until the correct response due date. See Table 3
• Otherwise:
• Make a final attempt to contact the job seeker
• Do not cancel the work item
• Record details on a DOA DOC including why a manual suspension is not appropriate/required and what action is outstanding if the customer makes contact
• Hold the Job Plan work item for 13 weeks. See Table 3

Review the AEX screen for the expiring approved activity.

Actions and discussion points for Review appointments include:

• If job seeker is a DES participant and in Post Placement Support, (see the job seeker's current Placement Type on the Provider referral information table within the Participation Summary) or
• has a current QTI coded:
• complete the activity
• do not update the Job Plan
• Discuss with the job seeker other options in terms of further activities the job seeker could undertake to improve employment prospects
• For Centrelink managed job seekers, review the approved activity on the AEX screen and update the Job Plan as necessary

As a minimum outcome, each job seeker required to undertake AAR will:

• receive written advice regarding the requirement to negotiate a Job Plan
• have their Job Seeker Snapshot updated where necessary
• if they are a Centrelink managed job seeker, they will have their AEX screen reviewed. The system will determine if a new Job Plan should be negotiated, and
• be connected with a suitable Employment Services Provider if they are not already connected and it is appropriate

The work item is allocated in Process Direct, however, the activity needs to be manually placed on hold in Customer First.

If a Job Plan Change of Circumstance (CoC Interaction) cannot be completed on allocation, Service Officers must hold the work item. To hold the work item correctly:

• identify the relevant Claim ID number associated with the work item in Process Direct:
• select Inbox from the Process Direct Landing page
• key the job seekers CRN in the CRN field, select Go
• view the Work Items table and make a note of the Claim ID number that aligns with the 'Maintain Activities and Exemptions' work item
• go to the Workspace within Customer First
• search for Online Interaction Summary in the search window
• select Online Interaction Summary
• key the Claim ID in the Activity ID field and select Search
• select the job seeker's name in the Description column
• select Edit
• change the status from 'For Manual Action' to 'On Hold'
• go to the Dates tab and select Expand
• find the On Hold Expiry Date line and update the hold date by:
• selecting the Calendar icon in the Date column, and
• selecting the next calendar day
• select Save, then select Back

Do not place the work item on hold without an expiry date as this will hold it indefinitely, resulting in the work item never reallocating.