QOL and QMA dispute processes for face to face, smart centre, Service Delivery Partner and CAO staff 111-21112956

Staff must lodge a dispute:

• within 30 days of the quality check being completed, or
• within 14 days of returning to work if they were on leave for the 30 days after the quality check. Their manager must confirm they were on leave, or
• within their organisation's timeliness contract if they work for a Service Delivery Partner

If staff lodge a dispute outside the required timeframe, it will be finalised without review.

Staff must:

• finalise all actions on the customer's record before lodging a dispute (unless the dispute is informally resolved). They must:
• finalise all actions as a priority
• talk to their Team Leader if unsure of the correct action to take
• support their dispute with evidence. This is:
• the relevant Operational Blueprints (including Table and Step numbers and historical versions where they apply), and/or
• other nationally endorsed references current when the quality check was completed. For example, Network News Updates (NNU) or Roxy

Staff must not 'HOLD' or leave a 'NOT' or 'STA' activity on the customer's record pending the outcome of a dispute.

An independent reviewer actions the dispute.

Face to Face Services and Smart Centres Operations

The independent reviewer is either:

• a Service Support Officer (SSO) in Social Security and Welfare Quality (SSW Quality) with relevant technical expertise, or
• for Farm Household Allowance (FHA) disputes, an ABSTUDY, Indigenous Services and Rural Cross Programs (AIRC) Service Delivery Support Team (SDST) SSO

If the SSW Quality SSO network does not have technical expertise in a certain area, they must consult with a technical specialist.

SSOs:

• May need to get technical or policy advice to make their determination. For example, refer to Business Process or Level 2 Helpdesk
• Must have access to the QMA Dashboard for SSO/Quality Development Officer (QDO):
• Access to the QMA Dashboard is limited to 6 months
• SSOs should reapply for access before it expires (no expiry reminder is sent)

Service Delivery Partners (SDP)

The independent reviewer is an SSO in SDP Operations Support with the relevant technical expertise.

Complex Assessment Officers (CAO)

The independent reviewer is a CAO Quality Checker with the relevant technical expertise.

The independent reviewer will decide if the outcome of the dispute is:

• Upheld - the original quality check decision is correct
• Upheld for different reason - the original quality check decision is correct, but for a different reason. For example, other errors that were not identified in the initial check resulting in the same checking outcome
• Overturned - the original quality check decision is overturned

The independent reviewer will finalise and return the dispute to the staff member if:

• there is not enough evidence to support the dispute, or
• they cannot find the activity (incorrect Activity Management Record (AMR) or Work item ID)

The dispute can be reopened if the staff member provides the required information.

The independent reviewer will finalise the dispute without review if:

• the dispute is lodged outside the timeframe
• the error is not proficiency impacting
• there is an individual error within the quality check that, if overturned, will not impact the overall outcome of the quality check

Generally, when the QOL/QMA dispute decision is finalised there are no further escalation steps available. However, for Smart Centre Operations and Face to Face Services staff:

• Team leaders may make a case demonstrating that the dispute outcome is potentially incorrect
• The SSW Quality Team will investigate and determine the next steps
• Service Officers must not contact the Independent Reviewer or Quality Checker once a dispute has been lodged or determined