Customers claiming JobSeeker Payment (JSP)/Youth Allowance (YA) (Incapacitated) 001-03020060

Current customers who are full time students

Different rules apply. See:

• Youth Allowance (YA) student or Australian Apprentice becomes incapacitated or impacted by unforeseen or extreme circumstances
• Austudy student or Australian Apprentice becomes incapacitated or impacted by unforeseen or extreme circumstances
• Payment of ABSTUDY when a student or Australian Apprentice becomes incapacitated

Customers lodging a claim

Customers may be eligible for JobSeeker Payment (JSP) or Youth Allowance (YA) (job Seeker) (Incapacitated) if they:

• are unemployed and have a temporary incapacity for work, or
• have work, or are studying, but are unable to do so because they have a temporary incapacity due to a medical condition, illness or injury

If the customer advises they:

• have a job to return to:
• employer details will be needed in their claim, including any leave payments they have, or will receive
• verification from the employer is not required unless there are concerns with the information provided in the claim
• are intending to return to study, they will be required to provide details of study in the claim

JSP and YA (job seeker) customers must satisfy their mutual obligation requirements in order to receive their payment.

A temporary exemption from mutual obligation requirements may be granted if the customer:

• has an incapacity likely to be temporary for less than two years, and
• is unable to do any suitable work or study, that is, their work or study capacity is less than 8 hours per week

This includes customers with a serious illness who may require extended period(s) of exemption.

Customers will need to provide a valid medical certificate to be assessed for an exemption from mutual obligations. This is usually a Centrelink Medical Certificate (SU415) or a SU683 lodged through the Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) system. Service Officers should consider the information on the certificate to determine if a temporary incapacity exemption or temporary incapacity - serious illness exemption can be applied.

A referral to an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) may be needed. Customers who have a job or study to return to are not referred for an ESAt.

A temporary incapacity exemption from mutual obligation requirements applies for the period of the customer's incapacity. When the incapacity exemption ends, the customer will either:

• return to their work or study, or
• enter into a Job Plan with Services Australia or their Employment Services Provider

Customers who advise they are unable to do any suitable work or study for 2 years or longer may be eligible for:

• Disability Support Pension (DSP). If the medical evidence indicates that they have a terminal illness they may be manifestly eligible for DSP, and
• JobSeeker Payment (JSP) or Youth Allowance (YA) (Provisional) while their DSP claim is being assessed

Customers with a work capacity of at least 8 and less than 30 hours per week may have modified mutual obligation requirements.

An Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) may be needed to assess the customer's work capacity if the customer does not have a job or study to return to.

An ESAt will:

• determine if the customer has a temporary reduced work capacity or a partial capacity to work
• assist to determine whether an exemption for mutual obligation requirements, or modified mutual obligation requirements should apply

A Verification of medical condition(s) (SU684) form will usually be sufficient medical evidence for an ESAt referral.

Check if there is already a current and valid assessment of the customer's work capacity on the customer's record before making a referral.

The customer can complete an online claim for JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance (job seeker) using their Centrelink online account where they have an active self-service registration. A correspondence nominee can also submit a job seeker online claim on behalf of their principal.

The online claim will ask the customer if they have an injury, illness or a disability. If they answer yes, the customer will be advised to lodge a medical certificate and encouraged to use Upload documents. If the customer is not able to use Upload documents, they should lodge the medical evidence at their local service centre to be scanned onto their record.

If the customer is unable or unwilling to claim online, Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) can be used for JSP and YA claims. The ACC is completed by Service Officers at the customers local service centre.

If the customer advises they are incapacitated for all work when they lodge their claim:

• Register the customer as a Fully Eligible Participant (FEP) job seeker
• Run the Job Seeker Snapshot
• The customer will not be referred to a Provider
• Advise the customer they will need to provide an approved medical certificate, if they wish to seek a temporary incapacity exemption

Customers who have a job or study to return to must lodge medical evidence in the claim. Qualification for the payment cannot be determined without it.

Customers with an incapacity who do not have a job or study to return to should be encouraged to lodge medical evidence. It is needed to assess backdating the start date and/or mutual obligation requirements.

If granting JSP or YA (incapacitated), backdating provisions can apply when calculating the start day.