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RapidConnect exemptions 001-17102300

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This document outlines RapidConnect exemptions that may be applied to job seekers claiming JobSeeker Payment (JSP) or Youth Allowance (YA) (job seeker).

On this page:

Manually coding a RapidConnect exemption

Manually applied RapidConnect exemptions

RapidConnect exempt due to Other Reasons

Manually coding a RapidConnect exemption

Table 1

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Item

Description

1

Manually coding a RapidConnect exemption

Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen functionality

Backdating of a RapidConnect exemption can only be coded by an APS5 or above. See Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency for appropriate request for assistance. RapidConnect exemptions from today's date can be coded by all staff.

When manually coding a RapidConnect exemption, update the following on the JMRC screen:

  • Select ADD
  • Check Date field, this automatically defaults to today's date
  • Select RapidConnect exemption reason from the Reason Code drop down
  • Select Save
  • Update the fields:
    • Receipt Date
    • Channel
    • Service Reason - if the system does not select a default Service Reason, select the most relevant Service Reason for the update
  • Select Save
  • Select Assess to go to the Entitlements (ELD) screen and review the outcome
  • Select Finish and Finalise

RapidConnect Status and coding a manual exemption

A manual exemption cannot be coded directly after a confirmed Exempt line, for example, Rejected or Cancelled. To manually code a RapidConnect exemption the most recent:

  • RapidConnect Status must be Started, and
  • RapidConnect Appointment Result / Exemption Reason field must be RapidConnect status determined

A RapidConnect status determined status cannot be manually input on the JMRC screen. The Participation Interview must be run again to create a new RapidConnect status determined line if it is required, then a manual exemption can be coded.


Manually applied RapidConnect exemptions

Table 2

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Item

Description

1

Manual RapidConnect exemption reasons

Some job seekers may require a manual exemption from RapidConnect requirements due to circumstances outside their control.

For RapidConnect exemptions due to:

  • Temporary medical conditions, see Item 2
  • Expectant customers, see Item 3
  • Unreasonable to live at home, see Item 4
  • Another program or activity being suitable, see Item 5
  • Transferring from Parenting Payment (PP) to JobSeeker Payment (JSP) or Youth Allowance (YA) as a Principal Carer, see Item 6
  • Experiencing crisis, see Item 7
  • Provider interpreter not available, see Item 8
  • Other Reasons, see Table 3

2

RapidConnect exempt due to temporary medical condition

Job seekers are RapidConnect exempt where they are claiming a payment with mutual obligation requirements and they have a temporary reduced work capacity of 0-8 hours per week. They will be required to supply a valid medical certificate as evidence of their temporary incapacity. See Assessing and coding medical certificates for temporary incapacity exemptions.

If the job seeker advises during the Participation Interview that they are incapacitated and the workflow does not automatically apply a RapidConnect exemption, Service Officers can select 'Incapacitated' as a drop down reason in the workflow. Make sure evidence of their temporary incapacity is provided.

If a job seeker contacts after the Participation Interview and advises their inability to meet their RapidConnect requirement due to a temporary incapacity:

  • Go to the Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen
  • Select INP - Incapacitated
  • Record a DOC using Fast Note, select Auto text, use Jobseekers > Update > Manual RapidConnect Exemption

3

RapidConnect exempt due to being an expectant customer

Expectant customers within 13 weeks of their expected due date are RapidConnect exempt.

If the Participation Interview does not result in an automatic exemption from RapidConnect and the customer is within 13 weeks of expected due date the Service Officer will be required to select ’Expectant person within 13 weeks of confinement date’ in the workflow.

If a job seeker contacts after the Participation Interview and advises their inability to meet their RapidConnect requirement due to being an expectant customer:

  • Go to the Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen
  • Select EXM - Expectant person within 13 weeks of confinement date
  • Record a DOC using Fast Note, select Auto text, use Jobseekers > Update > Manual RapidConnect Exemption

Evidence of their pregnancy status and expected date of delivery, such as a letter from a doctor or registered midwife will need to be provided. Evidence does not have to be a Services Australia Medical Certificate form.

See Step 2 of Exempting a job seeker from their mutual obligation requirements when they are an expectant customer.

4

RapidConnect exempt as job seeker advises unreasonable to live at home

Youth Allowance job seeker contacts after the Participation Interview and advises that they are unable to live at home and cannot meet their RapidConnect requirement:

  • Go to the Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen
  • Select UTL - Unreasonable to live at home

Record a DOC using Fast Note, select Auto text, use Jobseekers > Update > Manual RapidConnect Exemption.

See Assessing unreasonable to live at home (UTLAH) for customers claiming or receiving Youth Allowance (YA), Disability Support Pension (DSP), Special Benefit (SpB) or Tertiary Access Payment (TAP).

Note: if a young person contacts to advise that they are at risk of harm in the family due to abuse, neglect or exposure to family and domestic violence, an immediate social work referral must be made. Wherever possible, this should be a warm social work referral.

5

RapidConnect exempt due to another program or activity being suitable

Youth Allowance job seeker contacts after the Participation Interview and advises they have been referred to one of the following programs, a RapidConnect exemption can be manually applied.

If eligible:

Check the Referrals Summary (RRSUM) screen to confirm the job seeker has been referred to the program.

Note: make sure job seekers referred to SEE or AMEP are referred to a provider and have an initial appointment booked at the earliest possible date via the Online Diary.

6

RapidConnect exempt due to transferring from Parenting Payment Single (PPS) to JobSeeker Payment (JSP) or Youth Allowance (YA) as a Principal Carer

If the Participation Interview does not result in an automatic exemption from RapidConnect, an exemption can be manually applied.

If eligible:

  • Go to the Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen
  • Select TFR - Transfer from PP as a Principal Carer
  • Record a DOC using Fast Note, select Auto text, use Jobseekers > Update > Manual RapidConnect Exemption

Note: make sure these job seekers are referred to a provider and have an initial appointment booked at the earliest possible date via the Online Diary, if required.

7

RapidConnect exempt due to job seeker experiencing crisis (CRI)

Job seekers are exempt from mutual obligation requirements if they indicate they are in crisis. If the Participation Interview does not result in an automatic exemption from RapidConnect, the Service Officer must select 'Crisis' as a drop down reason in the workflow.

If a job seeker contacts after the Participation Interview and advises that they are experiencing crisis, they may be eligible for a RapidConnect exemption.

Circumstances where a job seeker is eligible for a RapidConnect exemption under crisis grounds include:

  • was subjected to or is currently experiencing family or domestic violence
  • was recently imprisoned or in psychiatric confinement
  • first entered Australia and was the holder of a qualifying humanitarian visa on that entry to Australia
  • principal place of residence was lost or sustained major damage as a result of an extreme circumstance
  • homelessness

Consider if the job seeker needs a Social Work Referral.

If eligible:

  • Go to the Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen
  • Select CRI - Crisis
  • Record a DOC using Fast Note - select Auto text, use Jobseekers > Update > Manual RapidConnect Exemption

8

RapidConnect exempt due to Provider interpreter not available (INT)

If a job seeker contacts after the Participation Interview and advises that an interpreter is not available for their provider appointment, a RapidConnect exemption can be manually applied.

If eligible:

  • Go to the Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen
  • Select INT - Provider interpreter not available
  • Record a DOC using Fast Note, select Auto text, use Jobseekers > Update > Manual RapidConnect Exemption

Note: make sure these job seekers are referred to a provider and have an initial appointment booked at the earliest possible date via the Online Diary.


RapidConnect exempt due to Other Reasons

Table 3

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Item

Description

1

RapidConnect exempt due to Other Reasons (EXO)

When a job seeker contacts after the original decision, they may have a manual RapidConnect exemption applied if they meet one of the following exemption reasons:

  • Change of circumstances, see Item 2
  • Payment rejected following exemption, see Item 3
  • Selected for Workforce Australia Online, see Item 4
  • Selected for Workforce Australia Service Provider, see Item 5
  • Circumstances outside of job seeker's control, see Item 6
  • Serving a waiting period, see Item 7

2

Change of circumstances

When the job seeker has a change in their circumstances, a RapidConnect exemption may apply if:

  • they are no longer in a RapidConnect target group, and
  • another exemption (manual or auto) reason does not apply

An exemption in this category must be assessed on a case by case basis.

See Item 8.

3

Payment rejected following RapidConnect exempt

A manual RapidConnect exemption can be applied if all of the following apply:

  • the job seeker completed a Participation Interview
  • they were assessed as having a RapidConnect exemption
  • the claim was Rejected
  • when the claim is reassessed the new Participation Interview does not identify a RapidConnect exemption

See Item 8.

4

Job seeker selected to Workforce Australia Online

A job seeker selected for Workforce Australia Online may be eligible for an exemption where:

  • the job seeker completed the Participation Interview in the previous 14 days and selected for Workforce Australia Online, then:
    • met the RapidConnect requirement by signing their Job Plan online
    • the claim was rejected, and
    • the system did not recognise the previously signed Job Plan leaving the customer Current at Zero Rate (CZR) when the claim is granted
  • the job seeker was current on payment within the last 13 weeks and selected for Workforce Australia Online, then:
    • met the RapidConnect requirement by signing their Job Plan online
    • their payment was cancelled, and
    • on grant of the claim, the new Participation Interview does not identify they have been reconnected with Workforce Australia Online and have already signed a Job Plan, resulting in a request for the customer to sign a new Job Plan
  • Job Plan was agreed to:
    • before the claim was finalised and no RapidConnect result returned from DEWR
    • after the claim was finalised and no RapidConnect result returned from DEWR
    • RapidConnect result returned but payment did not become current. Note: where the RapidConnect result 'Attended Provider Appointment' is the latest entry on the Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen, a BA refresh (RSH) activity must be attempted before coding an exemption
    • RapidConnect result returned where payment starts from the date the Job Plan was agreed to and not payment start date as expected

See Item 8.

5

Job seeker selected for Workforce Australia Provider

A job seeker selected for Workforce Australia may be eligible for an exemption where the:

  • job seeker completed the Participation Interview in the previous 14 days, then:
    • met the RapidConnect requirements
    • the claim was rejected, and
    • the new Participation Interview is requiring another provider appointment
  • 14 day period for the job seeker to attend the provider initial appointment has not been calculated correctly by the Participation Interview
  • job seeker attended the provider initial appointment but the provider has not transferred the indicator to Services Australia to enable payability
  • job seeker is participating in a residential drug/alcohol treatment program and unable to engage with their Workforce Australia provider until the conclusion of their residential program

See Item 8.

6

Circumstances outside of job seekers control

A job seeker may be eligible for an exemption due to circumstances outside of their control, including:

  • Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and Services Australia systems are down and RapidConnect eligibility cannot be determined via the system at the time of contact
  • there were extensive delays in Participation Interview availability at no fault of the job seeker (for example, public holidays, natural disasters, system outages)

See Item 8.

7

Job seeker is serving a waiting period

A job seeker may be eligible for an exemption due to serving a waiting period, other than the Ordinary Waiting Period (OWP). Job seekers in a nil rate due to a waiting period are not required to satisfy their RapidConnect or mutual obligation requirements during this period.

Waiting periods can include:

Note: make sure these job seekers are referred to a provider and have an initial appointment booked via the Online Diary, if required.

See Item 8.

8

Eligible for exemption

Has the job seeker been deemed eligible for an Other Reasons (EXO) exemption?

  • Yes:
    • If the job seeker is participating in a residential drug/alcohol treatment program and is unable to engage with their Workforce Australia provider, see Item 9
    • If the job seeker is not participating in a residential drug/alcohol treatment program:
      - go to the Job Seeker RapidConnect (JMRC) screen
      - select EXO - Exempt-Other reasons
      - record a DOC using Fast Note, select Auto text, use Jobseekers > Update > Manual RapidConnect Exemption
      Note:       after the exemption activity has been finalised, a BA refresh (RSH) may be required in Customer First for the exemption to take effect
  • No, a manual RapidConnect exemption is not recorded or applied. Procedure ends here

9

Job seeker is participating in a residential drug/alcohol program

If the job seeker is participating in a residential drug/alcohol program and is unable to engage with their Workforce Australia provider:

  • apply a RapidConnect exemption while conducting the Participation Interview
    • on the Referral Determination screen, select Yes for the 'Do you wish to manually exempt from RapidConnect?' question
    • select Other Reason from the drop-down menu
    • finalise the Participation Interview workflow
  • after the Participation Interview workflow has been completed:
    • refer the job seeker to an initial appointment with a Workforce Australia provider, via the Online Diary
  • book the initial appointment, where possible:
    • after the job seeker's residential treatment program has ended, or
    • as far into the future as possible, if the program will extend for a longer period. The provider will manage the job seeker's attendance
    • if the appointment is booked before their treatment program ends, include a note in the appointment booking that the job seeker is in a residential treatment program. Where possible, the job seeker should also contact their provider to advise they are participating in residential drug/alcohol treatment program
  • record a DOC using Fast Note, select Auto text, use Jobseekers > Update > Manual RapidConnect Exemption