Approved activities for job seekers assessed as having a partial capacity to work (PCW) 001-09070160

The Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) assesses capacity to work according to the following bandwidths:

• 0-7 hours per week
• 8-14 hours per week
• 15-22 hours per week
• 23-29 hours per week

Mutual obligation requirements vary depending on the work capacity bandwidths assessed by the ESAt provider.

A job seeker's partial capacity to work bandwidth takes into account both the Baseline Work Capacity and Work Capacity with Intervention from their ESAt report, based on all permanent medical conditions.

Where a job seeker has a partial capacity to work, this will remain in place for the purposes of determining mutual obligation requirements until superseded by a new ESAt/JCA regardless of the age of the assessment. Where an assessment may no longer be valid due to a change in circumstances then a new ESAt is required to confirm this.

Services Australia uses the 'With Intervention' work capacity assessment from the ESAt report to place the job seeker into the appropriate Partial Capacity to Work (PCW) participation category.

Job seekers who have been assessed as having a partial capacity to work of 0-14 hours per week will be managed by Services Australia and the job seeker will negotiate a job plan with the agency.

Job seekers assessed with a partial capacity to work of 0-14 hours per week will fully satisfy their mutual obligation requirements by negotiating a Job Plan with the agency. The job seeker's requirement will be 'I agree to attend compulsory quarterly appointments with Centrelink as advised. If I am unable to attend an appointment, I will advise Centrelink of my situation as soon as possible after being notified of my appointment date and time'.

Job seekers assessed with a partial capacity to work of 0-14 hours per week can also fully satisfy their mutual obligation requirements by negotiating a Job Plan with the agency that includes either suitable part-time work or self-employment of up to 14 hours per week.

These job seekers may volunteer to be connected with a provider. Regardless of whether the job seeker is connected to a provider, they will be managed by the agency and the agency will be required to negotiate the initial Job Plan.

Job seekers assessed with a partial capacity to work of 15 hours or more per week must undertake compulsory activities to satisfy their mutual obligation requirements, and will be required to be connected with an Employment Services Provider if they are not fully satisfying their requirements. A job seeker can participate in suitable part-time work or self-employment of at least 15 hours per week to fully satisfy their requirements. If the job seeker is not undertaking an approved activity which fully meets their requirements, they must have job search included in their Job Plan. Providers can approve some activities for job seekers which fully meet their mutual obligation requirements. Providers will make the determination whether job seekers who are meeting their requirements will be suspended or exited from employment services. These job seekers will become Centrelink Managed and require a Centrelink Job Plan to be negotiated.

A compliance investigation will not be required for job seekers who were working more than 15 hours per week and who voluntarily leave to commence suitable work that is only 15 hours per week.

Job seekers can volunteer to undertake drug dependency treatments or interventions which may count towards meeting their mutual obligation if they are provider managed.