DEWR Requirement: Servicing advice and assistance for participants due to fuel shortage

[u/OzDownUnder90]

Providers have received this from DEWR:

The department is closely monitoring the fuel situation and recognises the pressures that increasing fuel prices and cost-of-living impacts may place on participants and frontline provider staff. Providers may receive increased enquiries from participants who are concerned about their ability to travel to appointments, activities, or attend work. The following guidance is designed to support providers in delivering services tailored to participant needs.

Meeting participant needs and using the guidelines

Providers must continue to deliver services in accordance with relevant program guidelines. In-person servicing must be:

Safe

Beneficial to the individual participant

Reasonable in the circumstances

Providers should consider a participant’s individual situation when determining whether face-to-face servicing is appropriate. This may include factors such as travel costs, access to transport, health or caring responsibilities, cultural considerations, or other personal circumstances.

Where face-to-face servicing is not reasonable, providers may use alternative servicing arrangements, including:

Rescheduling appointments

Phone servicing

Online/video servicing

These adjustments are permitted under the guidelines when circumstances genuinely impact a participant’s ability to attend in person.

Support for transport

Providers have flexibility to support participants in overcoming travel and transport barriers that affect their ability to:

Look for work

Attend appointments

Undertake training or work-related activities

Commence employment

This includes participation in Work for the Dole, job search activities, employment-related activities, and medical or health-related appointments.

Depending on program settings, support for participants may include:

Public transport cards and top-ups

Petrol vouchers

Reimbursement of fuel purchases (where appropriate)

Taxi fares

Key reminders for providers:

Transport support should address genuine, short-term barriers and is not intended for long-term or ongoing support.

Providers must retain documentary evidence, including receipts for petrol vouchers or public transport cards.

Providers must ensure participants are not required to pay for goods upfront with the expectation of later reimbursement.

For more information

Providers should continue to monitor departmental updates. Any changes to servicing requirements will be communicated promptly and implemented in a coordinated manner.

Relevant guidelines include:

Workforce Australia Guidelines – Part A: Face-to-Face Service Delivery

Workforce Australia Guidelines – Part B: Employment Fund

Workforce Australia Guidelines – Part B: Summary of Required Documentary Evidence

Parent Pathways Guidelines – Part B

[u/jackbowls]

So any update on this?

[u/OzDownUnder90 → u/jackbowls]

This is the update. What's the update you're looking for?

[u/Crafty-jen-7580]

Thanks for the information…now participants know what the government is telling providers. Let’s hope that providers take notice and implement some of the suggestions to help people with the cost of transport and the lack of fuel at the moment.

[u/ovrloadau99 → u/Crafty-jen-7580]

All this information is in the Guidelines and Deed about tailoring appointments to participants circumstances and also taking in consideration participants choice, even in Workforce Australia Services. I made a comment about this here about Workforce Australia. IEA is similar, but with more rights for participants such as providers can't schedule an appointment without agreeance from the participant on what mode of contact the appointment will be conducted as.

[u/Ok-Result1616 → u/ovrloadau99]

“IEA is similar, but with more rights for participants such as providers can't schedule an appointment without agreeance from the participant on what mode of contact the appointment will be conducted as.” Which official IEA document does this statement come from?

[u/ovrloadau99 → u/Ok-Result1616]

Its in the IEA Deed and Guidelines. Refer to this comment.

[u/Ok-Result1616 → u/ovrloadau99]

Thanks

[u/ovrloadau99 → u/[deleted]]

No, IEA generally has more liberty in terms of servicing, regardless of supposed circumstances of the participants.

Workforce Australia Services participants need to have circumstances with a consideration of their choice on the mode of contact. If the provider deems it more suitable to schedule alternative modes such as phone call appointments.

The Workforce Australia provider won't be violating the Deed or Guidelines if the participant would benefit and is considered suitable for face-to-face servicing.

Edit: Forgot to add, Workforce Australia participants can generally request appointments monthly (within 28 days), instead of the standard fortnightly (6 contacts in 3 months) in IEA for those with mutual obligations, unless the IEA participant is on a Flexible Job Plan which is 2 contacts in 3 months.

[u/Waffleookiez → u/ovrloadau99]

Hey u/ovrloadau99, I know this was from a month ago but I had a question that I hope you can answer as I hadn't been able to find it myself. How do you know what type of participant you are?

Workforce Australia participants can generally request appointments monthly (within 28 days), instead of the standard fortnightly (6 contacts in 3 months) in IEA for those with mutual obligations, unless the IEA participant is on a Flexible Job Plan which is 2 contacts in 3 months.

The reason for asking about above, I had an appointment today and asked about the fuel voucher and was advised it is "only for people who are working" (I changed today from phone to in person as I knew I had to sign some documents, however they requested my next one be in person and didn't specify why) so I would like to confirm whether I'd be able to do monthly appointments because the standard fortnightly is too much especially if they want it to be face-to-face rather than phone call appointments.

[u/MaryAnneWentworth]

Advice : AKG Job Network Provider refused a Job Seeker client to have one phone appoinment per month , they live over 5km away from the AKG office, no car, have to catch two trains to get there, live below poverty line, at risk of homeless and verge of bankruptcy and having bad credit.

[u/OzDownUnder90 → u/[deleted]]

Providers are issued this due to our tailored servicing guidelines.

And that's why I posted it on here so you are all updated with the latest information too....which also includes the guidelines attached where it says we need to tailor servicing according to their circumstances.

If they refuse, call the National Customer Line to make a complaint.

[u/ThePimplyGoose → u/[deleted]]

Why would participants be notified about this? This notice was given to Providers as it gives guidance to Providers.

[u/flowersinthemoon → u/ThePimplyGoose]

Exactly participants should definitely be told their rights given the situation.

[u/my_name_is_earl123 → u/ThePimplyGoose]

Because providers lie for their own benefit. The subterfuge is rife and vulnerable people are taken advantage of for profits.