3.2.9.60 Suitable Activity - Work for the Dole

Summary

WFD is an approved program of work for income support payments as declared by the Employment Secretary under section 28 of the SSAct.

WFD activities provide work experience placements for job seekers that benefit local communities. They can only take place in not-for-profit organisations or local, state/territory and Australian Government organisations and agencies.

Employment services providers will be required to ensure WFD activities:

• provide work experience that will develop or enhance a job seeker's ability to work as part of a team, take directions from a supervisor, work independently, communicate effectively and improve job seeker motivation and dependability,
• offer opportunities for structured training for all job seekers where appropriate and available,
• seek local community involvement in activities that will generate outcomes to benefit the community,
• provide flexible work experience opportunities for people with a Work Experience Activity Requirement, voluntary job seekers and job seekers with barriers to employment that will assist them in re-engaging with their community and workplace, and
• provide relevant first aid or occupational health and safety training (note that these do not fall under the category of accredited vocational training for the purposes of reducing a job seeker's obligation in WFD).

Eligibility criteria

To be required to do WFD, job seekers must:

• be receiving the full rate income support, and
• not be undertaking a suitable activity that already allows the job seeker to fully meet the activity test, and
• not be exempt from the activity test, and
• not have an illness, injury or disability that would be aggravated by the work conditions, and
• have the necessary skills and experience to perform the required tasks.

Failure to commence, complete or comply with the conditions of a WFD activity can result in payment being stopped (3.1.13).

Note: Different rules apply for job seekers who are deemed to be eligible for full-time WFD (3.2.9.70)

Participating in WFD while undertaking paid work

Job seekers who obtain paid work for more than one fortnight, and as a result, receive a reduced rate of payment, may choose to exit WFD. If the duration of paid work is within one fortnight, the job seeker should not be taken off the placement.

Supplement payment

Job seekers participating in WFD are paid a supplement of $20.80 per fortnight to assist them meet the additional costs of participation in the activity. The supplement is taxable, but is exempt from the income test.

The supplement is not paid on a pro-rata basis. The full payment is made for the fortnights in which the activity begins and ends, regardless of the actual number of participation hours completed in those fortnights. If a job seeker leaves a project without good reason, the supplement will cease to be paid from the first payday after the job seeker ends participation on the activity.

WFD supplement during an employment income nil rate period

A job seeker who qualifies for the supplement can have it paid during an employment income nil rate period because they are deemed to be receiving their social security pension or benefit during that period for the purposes of the supplement.

Example: Talia is getting NSA and participating in a WFD activity at the local animal shelter. She starts a casual job and in the first fortnight her income is above the cut-off point, so NSA is no longer payable. She starts an employment income nil rate period. Talia decides to continue to participate in the WFD project as she enjoys working with animals and there are prospects of getting a permanent job at the shelter. She will be paid the WFD supplement during the employment income nil rate period provided she continues to participate in the project and remains qualified for the employment income nil rate period.

Act reference: SSAct section 28 Approved programs of work for income support payment, section 601 Activity Test for NSA, section 606 Newstart Employment Pathway Plan-terms, section 607 Newstart Employment Pathway Plan-principal carers, section 607A Newstart Employment Pathway Plan-people with a partial capacity to work, section 607B Newstart Employment Pathway Plan-requirement to participate in an approved program of work, section 541 Activity test, section 544B Youth Allowance Employment Pathway Plan-terms

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Last reviewed: 1 July 2009