Eligibility criteria for participation with Disability Employment Services (DES) 008-04030020

The Disability Employment Services (DES) provider is responsible for monitoring the job seeker's compliance with their Job Plan.

The DES provider manages the job seeker's Job Plan. They add DES to the Job Plan at the initial interview or when the job seeker commences DES.

Services Australia can view a DES activity on a Job Plan, but an activity cannot be added or removed.

Once the job seeker is placed (commenced) in DES, the placement date is automatically updated on the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen with an activity type of DES.

Disability Employment Services (DES) is an approved activity, which means the job seeker will satisfy their mutual obligation requirements for:

• JobSeeker Payment (JSP)
• Youth Allowance (YA)
• Parenting Payment (PP), or
• participation requirements for Disability Support Pension (DSP) while participating

This includes any period in which the job seeker is placed on an allowable break. See Managing compliance with compulsory requirements.

Participation requirements when a customer has a pending compensation claim. Where a job seeker with mutual obligation requirements:

• has a pending compensation claim, and
• the DES provider advises that they may seek to recover the costs of the DES program from the job seeker's compensation payment if one is made

The job seeker is subject to the same requirement to participate in DES as other job seekers. Compliance action may occur if the job seeker fails to comply with this requirement.

The provider will tell the job seeker:

• about the possibility that costs will be recovered at the time they are due to start DES, and
• that they will be asked to sign a statement acknowledging this

If a job seeker with mutual obligation requirements declines to sign this statement:

• their refusal to sign on its own will not constitute grounds for compliance action, and
• they will still be expected to participate in DES

For DSP customers with participation requirements, participation in DES may be selected as a compulsory activity in their DSP Participation Plan. As such, failure to participate in DES could result in DSP being suspended or cancelled. See Managing attendance for DSP participation interviews.

Once a DES participant commences employment, income must be advised and coded. See Recording and correcting employment income details.

Disability Support Pension (DSP)

For DSP recipients in the DES - Employment Support Service program receiving Moderate or High Ongoing Support:

• any income must be coded on the Earned Income Details (EAN) screen as 'SWS/DES Ongoing Support' to prevent any incorrect DSP suspensions, and
• to make sure correct payment of Mobility Allowance (MOB)

When a DSP recipient commences or exits from the DES - Employment Support Service program, the customer's earnings must be checked and updated if necessary. See Commencing or returning to work or self-employment Disability Support Pension (DSP) for details.

The DES provider can approve an allowable break.

For job seekers with mutual obligation requirements, this is based on the Services Australia decision to grant an exemption from these requirements.

Job seekers without mutual obligation requirements, such as people receiving DSP, can choose to exit from DES at any time. The volunteer participant should tell their DES provider that they no longer wish to participate, the DES provider will record the Exit and the Exit reason.

Customers with mutual obligation requirements generally cannot choose to exit from DES however, may change DES providers as often as they like, upon request.

Customers with mutual obligation requirements can participate in DES on a voluntary basis, if:

• they have a Partial Capacity to Work, or
• Temporary Reduced Work Capacity of less than 15 hours per week

DES providers cannot exit job seekers:

• before completion of the program, or
• without having achieved an employment/education outcome

If DES program is no longer suitable, DES providers:

• should refer the job seeker for an ESAt, and
• continue the job seeker in DES pending assessment outcome

The Assessor may then recommend the job seeker:

• be referred to another service, or
• may confirm that DES remains the most suitable service

The Assessor should seek to reconnect the job seeker with DES, if the jobseeker was exited from DES:

• before completion of the program, or
• without achieving an employment/education outcome, and
• where there is still a current and valid assessment recommending referral to DES

Sometimes a job seeker will need a new Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) before recommencing a DES placement, even if they already have a:

• current or valid ESAt, or
• Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) recommending referral to a DES provider

See Referring a customer to Disability Employment Services (DES).