Information for job seekers

Who is impacted?

People who are on a social security participation payment will no longer have their payment cancelled due to persistent mutual obligation failures while this pause is in effect.

During 8 April 2022 and 4 July 2024, you may have been impacted if you:

• were on a social security participation payment and
• had your payment cancelled due to persistent mutual obligation failures.

Social security participation payments are:

• Jobseeker payment
• Youth Allowance for student and apprentices (other)
• Parenting Payment (single) once your youngest child turns 6
• Special Benefit (nominated visa holders).

This impacts people enrolled in Workforce Australia, Disability Employment Services, or the previous jobactive and ParentsNext programs.

If you are in the Community Development Program you are not impacted.

What happens if your payment was cancelled between April 2022 and July 2024?

If your payment was cancelled between April 2022 and July 2024 for persistent mutual obligation failures, the decision to cancel your payment will be reviewed.

The review may result in you being repaid. You may also receive payment for any detriment you suffered as a direct result of the payment cancellation.

Any repayment of your social security participation payment will not affect any current payments. 

Do you need to do anything to support the review of the decision to cancel your payment?

No. You do not need to do anything at this point.

You will receive a letter over the coming weeks to explain the review process.

The department will review your circumstances and any other factors that may have impacted your ability to meet your obligations.

These factors will be considered as part of reviewing the decision to cancel your payment.  

How will the review occur?

The review will occur under the Scheme for Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration (CDDA).

The review will have two stages.

Stage 1: Preliminary assessment

The department will review existing records which outline the original decision.

These records could be held by:

• the department;
• Workforce Australia employment providers; or
• Services Australia.

If the original decision didn’t take all relevant information available in those records at the time into account, we’ll let you know and you will be repaid for the loss of your social security participation payment.

Stage 2: contact for additional information

We will contact you if:

• we don’t have enough information in our records to review the original decision; or
• our preliminary assessment is that the decision to cancel your payment was appropriate.

When you are contacted you will have another chance to give us more information.

Information you may give us includes whether you:

• had difficulty in accessing transportation. 
• had a medical condition or illness or were caring for an unwell person. 
• could not contact your employment service provider or Services Australia.
• were experiencing violence/family violence.
• did not have stable housing; or
• were experiencing other personal difficulties that may have affected your ability to meet requirements.   

If you give more information, the decision maker will take that into account to see if you should receive a payment.  

Do I still need to meet my mutual obligations?

If you are currently receiving social security benefits, yes, you still need to meet those activities which are in your Job Plan.

Talk to your employment services provider about what those activities are.

If you don’t meet your mutual obligations without a reasonable excuse, your social security participation payment may still be suspended.

If your social security participation payment is suspended, reach out to one of the following contacts to discuss having your suspension lifted:

• Your employment services provider if you have one, or
• The Digital Services Contact Centre on 1800 314 677

Who do I contact if I have a question?

If you have questions or are concerned, please call the department’s National Customer Service Line for more information on 1800 805 260.

Who do I contact if I want to make a complaint

Please call the department’s National Customer Service Line to make a complaint on 1800 805 260..

What if I do not agree with the outcome of the review of the decision to cancel my payment?

You can ask for the decision to be reviewed again.

You can seek assistance from the Commonwealth Ombudsman at ombudsman.gov.au using the online complaints form.

If you are unable to complete the online form, you can call them on 1300 362 072.

Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) gives every person the right of access to documents held by Australian Government agencies, unless the documents are exempt from disclosure.

For more information, go to Freedom of Information (FOI) - Department of Employment and Workplace Relations