Points-based Activation in Workforce Australia – FAQ

ACOSS has received questions from people who are trying to understand what Points-based Activation means in Workforce Australia.  We’ve prepared this short advice to respond to some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) while the Department of Employment is preparing more information resources.

ACOSS is advocating for some urgent changes to Workforce Australia including removing suspensions for missing the first appointment, the introduction of automatic points-credits and to prevent reporting requirements becoming too onerous.

What is changing?

Your jobactive provider may change and will be called a Workforce Australia provider.

People who are currently in jobactive may have a different provider to the one they had in jobactive, or you may be transferred into Online Services.  Generally people who were in Stream A will be transferred into Online Services.

You should receive an email or a letter from the Department of Employment (DESE) that will advise you whether you are changing provider or going into  Workforce Australia online.

  • If you are not happy about the service you have been transferred into you can contact the National Customer Service line to change provider after the 4th of July on 1800 805 260.
  • To  transfer out of Online Services you can call the Digital Contact Centre (DSCC) on 1800 314 677

You can check if the provider you had in your employment region will continue to operate there here.

Workforce Australia will have different requirements to jobactive

There will now be Points-based Activation (PBAS) instead of Job Search targets. Points Based Activation involves meeting a target of up to 100 points per month to show how you have been trying to get paid work and/or participating in activities that may help you get a job later.

Points-based Activation will not start until you have updated your job plan after July 4. Before then you will still need to complete the job search targets that are already in your job plan.

When you first meet with a Workforce Australia provider they will update your job plan.

People who are in Workforce Australia Online, will go online to update the job plan and can contact the Digital Services Contact Centre on 1800 314 677

Does everyone have to do 100 points?

No – because there is a new system of Points Credits in Workforce Australia. Points credit reduce the overall number of points from 100 per month.

It is important that to realise that it is possible to adjust points targets so that they reflect local labour market conditions and your personal circumstances.

You can get credits for different number of points depending on your circumstances. There are labour market credits for people in disadvantaged labour markets to recognise that there may be less opportunities to apply for employment.

Providers and the DSCC can apply a labour market credit to reduce the points target, up to 20 points per reporting period,

There are also personal circumstances credits for people with a reduced work capacity, family and caring responsibilities, community service orders, age or disability and illness.  Providers and the DSCC can apply a credit to reduce the points target, generally up to 40 points per points reporting period.

For example, if you have caring responsibilities for a child, the provider or DSCC should consider the age of the child and whether they are in school or whether you have access to childcare to determine an appropriate adjustment of the points target.

As part of their points target, there will be a mandatory minimum job search requirement of five job searches each month. Instead of the standard 20 job searches, you will be able to choose other activities and tasks to make up the points. If there are no other activities or tasks that you can undertake, job searches will still be available as a back-up option

You will not be able to meet their points target without completing this requirement. Providers and the DSCC are expected to consider the minimum job search requirement when setting the points target, and can adjust the minimum job search requirement based on your circumstances.

Credits can be applied for one or multiple reasons (for example, 10 points for a community service order and 20 points for an illness).

In Workforce Australia, credits are not applied automatically. It is expected that everyone will have their own, individually set points target that reflects their ability and personal circumstances.

People who use Online Services can also have their points target tailored to their individual circumstances and can discuss this directly with the DSCC.

 More information: https://jobsearch.gov.au/information-about-your-points-target

How to report points

You can report points using a new Workforce Australia App or the Workforce Australia dashboard on MyGov. If you are unable to report points you can contact your provider or the DSCC.

You must report the completion of tasks or attendance at activities to earn points towards your points target.

If you have a provider, you can report points by contacting your provider.

You’ll get prompts in the Your tasks section on your homepage reminding you to report your points.

You can also track your progress towards meeting your points target on your homepage.

What happens if I forget or cannot report points?

Your payment may be suspended if you do not complete the report for your points at the end of your reporting period. You will need to report these points to stop your payment from being suspended.

If you are unable to complete points for a month, it is important to contact your provider or the DSCC and explain why before they are due.

There will not be any payment suspensions for not completing the points  target for the first month that you start in Workforce Australia. Suspensions will continue apply for non-attendance at appointments.

 

Questions re Points-based Activation

Here are some FaQs ACOSS received about the Points-based activation at a webinar we held in May 2022.

Question: Will principal carers including single parents still have reduced requirements?

Reply: Yes but make sure points credits are applied to your points target by contacting your provider or the DSCC

Question: Will  older worker have reduced points targets?

Reply: Yes but make sure points credits are applied to your points target by contacting your provider or the DSCC

Question: Can you apply for credits due to lack of educational achievements, say less than year 12 high school completion?

Reply: ACOSS is checking on this

Question: Will education have to be at a certain level to attract points?

ACOSS is checking on this

Question:           How do you prove you had a job interview?

Reply: ACOSS has not yet been able to confirm what evidence will be required for job interviews but understands that you can upload a screen shot of an email or text message confirming the date and time and the contact details of the person/organization that interviewed you. See this guide  from the Department of Employment.

Question:  Will volunteering 15 hrs a week meet the 100 point requirement (for people with partial capacity/over 60 etc)?

ACOSS is checking on these questions but you should ask for points credits to be applied to your job plan.

Question: Is there a difference in points between Participant sourced voluntary work and Provider sourced voluntary work.

Reply: ACOSS is checking on both these questions.

Question: Will there be any assistance to locate the opportunities that enable you to get qualifying points?

Reply: Your provider and the DSCC should help you with this.

Question: Will participants get to choose who they go to get training for example or do they have to go through the recommended provider e.g with employability skills ?/

ACOSS is checking on these questions but you should ask for points credits to be applied to your job plan.

Question: Is it flexible for 65+ – might be that points would be accrued for the ‘disadvantage’ of being over 60?

ACOSS is checking on these questions but you should ask for points credits to be applied to your job plan.

Question:  f you meet the 100 points a month, do you still automatically go on the 2month wfd at 6 months, or is this if you can’t meet Work for the Dole? Do you still do the 100 points a month as well in that Work for the Dole period?

Reply: The six-monthly activity can be included as points for the time you are doing the activity. An activity like work for the dole will get 20 points per week so if you had a points target of 100 points you would still need to complete 20 points for that reporting period.

If you are already working full-time or in full time study you will not be required to do Work for the Dole. You would not have any requirements if you  are fully meeting requirements under Social Security Law.

What else is changing?

There are different activities in Workforce Australia than there were in jobactive. Here is a link to some more information we’ve prepared on other changes:

https://www.acoss.org.au/mutual-obligations-and-the-new-employment-services-model/

More information

Workforce Australia – Information for individuals

Information about your points target

Points values for tasks and activities

Phone numbers

  • Digital Services Contact Centre on 1800 314 677
  • National Customer Service Line on 1800 805 260.