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Managing Non-Attendance at an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) 008-26050659

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For Assessment Services staff.

This document outlines how Assessors will manage non-attendance at an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt).

Role of Assessors

Assessors must use professional judgement when making decisions that impact customer payments. Payment affecting decisions should only be made with full consideration of the customer's circumstances.

Attendance at an ESAt appointment is compulsory for customers in receipt of an income support payment with mutual obligation or participation requirements. Failure to attend an ESAt may result in the customer's payment being suspended.

The customer's payment can be restored following the:

  • first non-attendance event, when the ESAt is rescheduled or the customer advises they do not want to participate
  • second and any subsequent non-attendance events, when the customer attends the ESAt or the customer advises they do not want to participate

Service officers have discretion to restore the customer's payment if the customer cannot attend an ESAt due to exceptional circumstances. See Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) and Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) appointments.

Related links

Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) and Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) appointments