JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and Youth Allowance (YA) (Provisional) 008-02080000

Has the customer lodged a DSP claim?

• Yes, and:
• they are not getting JSP or YA, go to Step 2
• they are getting JSP or YA, go to Step 6
• the DSP claim has been finalised or withdrawn, go to Step 8
• No, see Claiming Disability Support Pension (DSP). Procedure ends here

DSP online claim

Customers who are 22 years or older and not getting an income support payment are asked if they want to claim JSP as part of the DSP online claim workflow.

If the customer selects:

• Yes, they need to book a Job seeker online claim appointment before they can submit their claim:
• check an appointment has been booked. If an appointment has not been booked, book one for the customer (towards the end of the online claim)
• procedure ends here
• No, and they now wish to claim a provisional payment, go to Step 3

YA (Provisional) is not part of the DSP online claim. Customers need to lodge a separate online claim for YA.

DSP paper claim SA466 or SA494

If a customer submits a paper claim for DSP and they have requested to be assessed for a provisional payment pending the assessment of their DSP new claim:

• make sure the Claim for Disability Support Pension (SA466) or Claim for Disability Support Pension for a Terminal Illness (SA494) is scanned to the customer's record. This will create a DSP new claim Social Online Application (SOA) and an automatic Medical Assessment (MAT) referral
• go to Step 3

If the DSP claimant is not on another income support payment, use the following script:

• 'You may be eligible for other payments or services such as JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance or Parenting Payment while your claim for Disability Support Pension is being assessed.
• 'If you are paid a JobSeeker payment or another payment with mutual obligation requirements, you will be exempt from looking for work while your claim for Disability Support Pension is being assessed. Any exemption periods will not count towards participation in a Program of Support.
• 'If your Disability Support Pension claim is unsuccessful, your exemption will automatically end and you will remain on JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance which may include mutual obligation requirements'

The customer can be exempt from their mutual obligation requirement to look for work until their DSP claim is determined. However, the exemption periods will not count towards the completion of a Program of Support (POS).

JSP/YA (Provisional) conditions do not apply if the DSP claim has been rejected, and:

• the customer is awaiting the outcome of an Explanation of Decision or formal review of the decision by an Authorised Review Officer (ARO), or
• review of the decision by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART)

JSP/YA (provisional) conditions will apply if the DSP claim is reindexed. For example, if the additional information is supplied after rejection (that is, FRC or IME)

Note: for customers in vulnerable circumstances, see Intent to claim for vulnerable customers and Prioritising Disability Support Pension (DSP) claims for terminally ill customers.

Does the customer have a partner?

• Yes:
• If the partner is not currently getting an income support, for example, JSP or PP, check eligibility and invite the partner to make an online claim
• If the customer has dependent children, check whether they or their partner is getting Family Tax Benefit (FTB). If not, tell the customer to claim for FTB online
• If they are unable to claim online, offer to run ACC if the partner is available. If not, issue the appropriate claim form and tell them to lodge the claim immediately
• Go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 4

If the customer contacts after lodging a paper DSP new claim, or they selected No to JSP in their DSP online claim, and they indicate they need income support pending the assessment of their DSP new claim:

• tell them to submit a JSP claim online
• if they are unable or unsuitable to complete a claim online, run ACC. Go to Step 5
• if all required documents have been provided, book a participation interview and tell the customer the appointment details

See Claiming JobSeeker Payment (JSP).

Procedure ends here.

For ACC:

• run ACC and complete the Participation interview. The customer must be registered as a job seeker. Complete the Job seeker online claim appointment
• when a DSP claim is submitted online, through ACC or a paper claim is scanned a DSP new claim SOA is created. A new claim activity is not created in Customer First
• make sure the SA466, SA439 or SA494 is scanned to the customer's record, or an online claim has been submitted. If there is no DSP new claim SOA on the record, index the DSP claim

Has all documentation or verification been provided?

• Yes: Check the claim has been submitted:
• For staff skilled in new claim processing, see Processing JobSeeker Payment (JSP) claims or Processing Youth Allowance (YA) (jobseeker) claims
• For staff not skilled in new claim processing, the claim activity will be allocated to a suitably skilled staff member via Work Optimiser. Tell the customer that their claim has been sent for processing.
  Procedure ends here
• No, encourage the customer to provide documentation as soon as possible so they can submit their claim. Procedure ends here

JSP or YA (Provisional) conditions do not apply if the DSP claim has been rejected and the customer is awaiting one of the following:

• an explanation of decision to reject their claim
• the outcome of a formal review of the decision by an Authorised Review Officer (ARO), or
• review of the decision by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART)

If the customer requests a review of a decision to reject their DSP claim, the 'Claiming DSP' exemption cannot be applied during the review process. If the DSP claim is rejected, go to Step 8.

If the DSP claim is reindexed (e.g. further information is provided after rejection IME or FRC), the Claiming DSP exemption will automatically apply.
Note: due to a system limitation, if the DSP was rejected and reindexed on the same day, the exemption may need to be manually coded. Go to step 7.

Make sure the SA466 or SA494 form is scanned to the customer's record, or an online claim has been submitted. If an SA494 has been scanned, and there is no DSP NCL in process, see Prioritising Disability Support Pension (DSP) claims for terminally ill customers.

Go to Step 7 when DSP claim is lodged.

All customers getting JSP/YA, (except for non-protected SCV holders) are exempt from their mutual obligation requirements for the period their DSP claim is being determined, until the claim is finalised or withdrawn.

These customers may volunteer for referral to employment services. See Registering Volunteer job seekers.

Encourage customers to inform their provider if they have lodged a DSP claim.

Note: if the AEX screen is coded with 'Claiming DSP' exemption and JSP/YA customer is suspended for TCF, tell the customer to contact their provider to discuss voluntary participation if required to meet POS requirements. See Targeted Compliance Framework.

Note:

• New Zealand Non-Protected Special Category Visa (SCV) Holders claiming a one off 26 week period of JobSeeker Payment are not eligible for a ‘Claiming DSP’ exemption
• Service Officers must not manually code a ‘Claiming DSP’ exemption. This will lead to the rejection of the customer’s Jobseeker Payment and will mean they will never be able to access the full 26 week period ever. See New Zealand 10 year residence exemption
• If appropriate, consider an exemption from mutual obligation requirements using a different reason. If an exemption of another type is not appropriate the customer must meet mutual obligation requirements.
  See Mutual obligation requirements exemptions

Period of exemption

The exemption will apply for 104 weeks or until the DSP claim is finalised if within 104 weeks.

This is to cover the full period until the DSP claim is finalised:

• There should be no gap in the exemption while the DSP claim is pending assessment, unless the customer wants to engage in a Program of Support (POS)
• If the DSP claim is rejected or withdrawn the Claiming DSP exemption is automatically end-dated and the customer will need to meet mutual obligation requirements
• Do not end date a previous exemption for a different reason (incapacitated, large family, foster carer, etc) unless the previous exemption is no longer correct. This may impact the customer's correct rate of payment. The ‘Claiming DSP’ exemption can be coded on another line within the AEX screen

This exemption will automatically apply until their DSP claim is finalised or withdrawn, unless:

• there is another task started on the record
• a service officer is currently locked in the record, or
• a DSP new claim has been rejected and re-indexed on the same day

Where an automatic exemption has not applied for these reasons, a started activity may be created on the customer’s record and will need to be manually completed by a Service Officer.

If a ZCOC_CLM_DSP_EXE Work item has been allocated in Work Optimiser, check it has the following attributes:

• Work Type = Claiming DSP Exemption, and
• Keyword = DSPCLMEX

Has the ZCOC_CLM_DSP_EXE Work Item with the correct attributed been allocated?

• Yes, go to step 9
• No, and a ‘Claiming DSP’ exemption
• is provisional on AEX screen, go to step 9
• has not been coded, go to step 10
• is confirmed on the AEX screen, no further action is required.
  Procedure ends here

See below actions for when a DSP claim is granted, rejected or withdrawn

• Payment of JSP/YA (Provisional) is automatically cancelled. Procedure ends here

DSP claim is rejected or withdrawn:

• The 'Claiming DSP' exemption on the AEX screen is automatically end dated
• The customer remains on JSP or YA (job seeker) and must satisfy their mutual obligation requirements
• Use the Assessor's report to determine the customer's work capacity and whether they are assessed for JSP or YA with a Partial Capacity to Work (PCW) or Temporary Reduced Work Capacity (TRWC)
• Check the Assessor's report to see whether an exemption for a temporary incapacity is appropriate. Check the Medical Conditions Details (MC) screen for a 'not accepted' medical certificate which has not yet expired. If one is present, grant the customer an exemption based on the Assessor's report. See Centrelink Medical Certificate (SU415 or SU683)
• If not eligible for a temporary incapacity exemption, consider an exemption for another appropriate reason. See Mutual obligation requirements exemptions
• If not eligible for an exemption, the customer is required to satisfy mutual obligation requirements, a Job Plan will need to be negotiated for Centrelink managed job seekers, or a referral made to an employment services provider. Check that the Assessor has made a referral to a provider (if appropriate). If the job seeker is provider managed, the provider is responsible for negotiating the Job Plan. Use the recommendations in the Assessor's Report to negotiate suitable activities and requirements for the job seeker. See Checking and actioning Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) reports or Checking and actioning a Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) report.

If the DSP claim is manifestly rejected without a JCA, an ESAt is required to determine the customer's ongoing work capacity. This will make sure their mutual obligation requirements are appropriate. Check:

• if there is already a current and valid assessment of the job seeker's work capacity
• if an ESAt is required before making a referral

Advise them of their:

• mutual obligation requirements. Check if a current and valid ESAt exists. If not, determine if a referral for an ESAt is required. If the customer is required to satisfy mutual obligation requirements, a Job Plan will need to be negotiated for Centrelink managed job seekers, or a referral made to an Employment Services Provider (if not already referred). If the job seeker is provider managed, the provider is responsible for negotiating the Job Plan
• ongoing reporting requirements

Staff may identify a provisional ‘Claiming DSP’ exemption code on the AEX screen or be allocated a ZCOC_CLM_DSP_EXE work item with keyword DSPCLMEX when the customer:

• has submitted a DSP new claim
• is receiving an income support payment with mutual obligation requirements
• is eligible for a Claiming DSP exemption, and
• the system has failed to automatically record the ‘Claiming DSP’ exemption on the AEX screen

These activities must be processed in Process Direct.

Service Officers must:

• check the AEX screen and confirm the exemption has been provisionally coded on the Manual activities and exemptions Table on the AEX screen
• ensure any task locking activities have been completed and the customer or another Service Officer is not locked in the record
• action the transaction and finalise. Include the details of the manual coding in the DOC

The started activity will complete when the transaction is finalised.

Procedure ends here.

The ‘Claiming DSP’ exemption will automatically apply on AEX until their DSP claim is finalised or withdrawn, unless:

• there is another task started on the record
• a service officer is currently locked in the record
• a DSP new claim has been rejected and re-indexed on the same day

Has a DSP NCL been rejected and re-indexed on the same day?

• Yes:
• Code a manual ‘Claiming DSP’ exemption on the AEX screen
• Activity: select DSP – Claiming DSP
• Start date: key the day after the DSP claim was reindexed
• End date: key 104 weeks from the start date
• Assess and Finalise the transaction
• In Finalise, update notes advising the manual coding was completed
• Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 11

An investigation may be required to check if there has been a system issue when:

• the exemption has not applied, (no provisional line exists), and
• the above reasons do not apply

If a system issue has occurred:

• see Reporting ICT issues in Process Direct
• procedure ends here