Restricted Access and eligibility 104-06000000

If a customer has Restricted Access in place, when their record is accessed in:

• Process Direct - a Sensitive data warning message will display
• Customer First - the Sensitive Data Warning (SDW) screen will display

Does the customer have Restricted Access in place?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, and they are concerned with security of their personal information or safety, see Table 2

Channel the customer contacted:

• Phone call, go to Step 3
• Service Centre, go to Step 4
• Process work item allocated in Workload Manager (WLM), go to Step 5

Restricted Access customers are serviced through the Restricted Access telephony queue.

Remind the customer to contact using the Restricted Access phone number. Cold transfer the customer to the Restricted Access number to complete their business.

Procedure ends here.

Does the Service Centre manage the customer's Restricted Access?

• Yes, proceed with servicing the customer as per Restricted Access arrangement. Procedure ends here
• No:
• Direct the customer to contact using the Restricted Access phone number
• Immediate temporary access can be granted to Process Direct if needed to complete customer business
• Contact the National Restricted Access Team through their positional mailbox
• Procedure ends here

Accessing the customer's record in Customer First/Customer Record

• Apply these skill tags in ESSentials:
• RESTRICTED ACCESS OFFICER L1 (ESS security role), and
• NV_CLK_RA_Officer_Level_1 (ESS skill tag)
• See Resources page for a link to the Skills Tag and Access Request page to follow for temporary access to be granted to a Restricted Access record
• Complete the Request for temporary access to a Restricted Access record form. See Resources page for link to the form

Accessing the customer's record in Process Direct only

Complete the Request for temporary access to a Restricted Access record form. See Resources page for link to the form.

When access has been granted, the work can be processed.

Only reassign or re-categorise work items if one of the relevant unassign/reassign reasons is met.

Staff and leaders

Email National Restricted Access Team for:

• advice on requesting temporary access, or
• any other enquiry for a Restricted Access customer

Procedure ends here.

Advise the customer of current measures in place, including 100% logging of staff access.

Discuss alternate options

As Restricted Access limits the customer's access arrangements with the agency, it should only be used in the most serious cases. Intermediate security measures, such as passwords, should be considered as a more user-friendly option.

Customers engaged in Family Court matters should be made aware that Restricted Access will not prevent the agency from disclosing their location to the Family Court when ordered to do so.

The Resources page has a link to the Services Australia website for further information for customers.

Is the customer satisfied with these security arrangements?

• Yes, procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 2

If a customer requests further security for their Centrelink customer record, service centre and Smart Centre officers must warm transfer the customer to the Restricted Access number. Note: this number must not be provided to customers to make direct contact.

For more information, see the National Restricted Access Intranet page.

Was the warm transfer successful?

• Yes:
• Service delivery officers, procedure ends here
• National Restricted Access Team, go to Step 3
• No:
• See the National Restricted Access Intranet page to complete a referral for Restricted Access
• Service delivery officers, procedure ends here

Examine all possible alternatives before suggesting Restricted Access. It may be necessary for a social worker to discuss the customer's concerns with them during the interview and assessment process.

If the customer is in crisis or experiencing family and domestic violence, it may be appropriate to refer customers to a social worker.

Explain the limitations that Restricted Access will impose on the customer’s dealings with Services Australia and the limited security that Restricted Access provides. For example:

• Explain that Restricted Access only limits staff access to their Centrelink computer record
• If the customer is partnered, both records must have Restricted Access applied, as the customer's information is accessible through the partner's record. If Restricted Access is not applied to both records, the link between the records will cause access issues
• Other Centrelink customers, who reside with the protected customer, may need to have Restricted Access applied to their record to protect the customer's whereabouts
• The customer must provide a postal address if Restricted Access is granted
• Customer may elect to unsubscribe from self service including:
• Centrelink online services
• letters online (Centrelink Online Letters or myGov Inbox)
• Electronic Messaging
• phone self service
• Services Australia exchanges information with other Government agencies. Advise the customer they should notify other Government agencies they deal with, that they would like their personal information kept secure. Explain that other agencies may not have similar security measures in place

Does the customer wish to have Restricted Access applied?

• Yes, complete a referral to the NRAT mailbox. Procedure ends here
• No, confirm the customer understands the other security measures available. Procedure ends here