Exempting a job seeker from their mutual obligation requirements when they are an expectant customer 001-09120020

If the customer:

• is a ParentsNext participant, see ParentsNext exits and exemptions
• was pregnant when their partner died, see Assessing Entitlement to a Partner Bereavement Payment. Procedure ends here
• is more than 13 weeks from their expected date of confinement, mutual obligation requirements will remain in place. Procedure ends here
• is within 13 weeks, but more than 6 weeks before their expected date of confinement, go to Step 2
• is within 6 weeks of their expected date of confinement, go to Step 3
• is providing evidence, go to Step 4
• is more than 6 weeks from their expected date of confinement, but experiencing health problems, and seeking an exemption from their mutual obligation requirements, go to Step 6
• is overdue by more than 2 weeks, go to Step 7

Note: do not update the Miscellaneous Update Details (NMIS) screen until evidence of the expected date of confinement is provided.

Tell the customer to provide evidence of their pregnancy status and expected date of delivery.

Evidence can include, but is not limited to, a letter from a doctor or registered midwife.

Evidence does not have to be a Services Australia medical certificate.

Once evidence is provided, key the expected date of confinement on the NMIS screen.

If the customer is:

• current as a job seeker and provider managed:
• tell the customer to continue reporting using their preferred channel. Pregnant job seekers who are 3 months from their expected due date are not required to look for work
• providers cannot compel the job seeker, during this time, to accept job offers or referrals to job interviews. However, the job seeker will be required to continue meeting some requirements, subject to their capacity
• Centrelink managed: update their Job Plan if required
• claiming job seeker payment:
• they are not subject to RapidConnect
• use the exemption code EXM (Expectant Person) to manually exempt them from RapidConnect if they are within 13 weeks from their expected date of confinement
• if customer has ceased work voluntarily, that is, there is no medical or valid reason why they needed to leave their work, and they are within the final 13 weeks of pregnancy, the current process for assessing voluntary unemployment applies
• record a Display On Access (DOA) DOC on the customer's record, with an expiry date of the expected date of confinement

Has the customer provided evidence of their pregnancy status?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, request evidence of pregnancy status. Procedure ends here

Tell the customer to provide evidence of their pregnancy and expected date of delivery.

Evidence can include, but is not limited to, a letter from a doctor or registered midwife.

Evidence does not have to be a Services Australia medical certificate.

Has the customer previously provided evidence of their pregnancy status?

• Yes, if the evidence:
• has not been recorded, go to Step 4
• has been recorded, check the date of confinement on the NMIS screen to ensure the customer is within 6 weeks of their expected date of confinement. Go to Step 5
• No, request evidence of pregnancy status. Procedure ends here

In Process Direct:

• In the Super Key, key NMIS to view the NMIS screen
• Select the Add icon. Update the following fields:
• Event date: key today's date
• Expected Date of Confinement: key the expected date of birth for the child
• Pregnancy Verified: key Y
• Select Save to view the provisional data
• Complete the Receipt Date and Channel > Save > Assess
• Assess check any warnings or errors on the Errors (SWE) screen
• Check the results on the Entitlement (ELD) screen. Ensure correct action has occurred
• Select Finish

In Customer First:

Go to the NMIS screen and update the following fields:

• Event date: key today's date
• Expected Date of Confinement: key the expected date of birth for the child
• Pregnancy Verified: key Y
• Source: key method of contact
• DOR: key receipt date
• Action: key I

The Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen will automatically update with the code EXM (Expectant Person). The exemption will start from today's date or 6 weeks before the expected date of confinement (whichever is later) and end 6 weeks after the expected date of confinement.

Go to Step 5.

Customers exempted from their mutual obligation requirements for a period, can still volunteer for referral to Workforce Australia, or continue to participate in their requirements on a voluntary basis if they are already connected to an Employment Services Provider.

Tell the customer:

• there may be a change in rate once the baby is born
• the process for:
• transferring to Parenting Payment (if not already in receipt of this payment), and
• claiming family assistance once the baby is born
• some SpB customers will not qualify for Parenting Payment due to lack of residence or family assistance. These customers may remain on SpB, but the Category of SpB may need to be changed

Record details on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Tell the customer to provide evidence that they are unable to satisfy their requirements due to complications from their pregnancy and/or other medical condition/s.

Assess the customer's eligibility for an exemption from their mutual obligation requirements.

If the customer is not eligible for an exemption, advise the customer:

• that they must continue to satisfy their requirements, and
• their appeal rights regarding the decision to not grant an exemption

Record details on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Grant an extension of the EXM (Expectant Person) exemption for at least 2 weeks.

In Process Direct:

• In the Super Key field, key NMIS to view the NMIS screen
• Select Edit for the previous update
• Update the Expected Date of Confinement field by adding 2 weeks to the expected date of confinement
• Select Save to view the Provisional data
• Complete the Receipt Date and Channel > Save
• Select Assess
• Assess check any warnings or errors on the Errors (SWE) screen
• Check the results on the Entitlement (ELD) screen are correct
• Select Finish

In Customer First:

• Go to the NMIS screen and amend the Expected Date of Confinement field by adding 2 weeks to the expected date of confinement
• Finalise the activity

Tell the customer:

• there may be a change in rate once the baby is born
• the process for:
• transferring to Parenting Payment (if not already in receipt of this payment), and
• claiming family assistance once the baby is born
• some SpB customers will not qualify for Parenting Payment due to lack of residence or family assistance. These customers may remain on SpB, but the Category of SpB may need to be changed

Record details on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Update the due date to the actual date the child was born.

Go to the NMIS screen and amend the Expected Date of Confinement field to the actual date the child is born. Finalise the activity.

The end date of the EXM exemption on the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen automatically updates to 6 weeks after the actual date the child is born.

Tell the customer:

• there may be a change in rate following the birth of the baby
• the process for:
• transferring to Parenting Payment (if not already in receipt of this payment), and
• claiming family assistance
• some SpB customers will not qualify for Parenting Payment due to lack of residence or family assistance. These customers may remain on SpB, but the Category of SpB may need to be changed

Record details on a DOC.