It unlawful for an Employment Service Provider to include, as a compulsory requirement in a Job Plan, a term that requires a job seeker on Newstart Allowance to attend Work for the Dole where the job seeker receives a reduced rate of Newstart Allowance due to the declaration of income from employment. However there is nothing stopping the job seeker doing it voluntarily.
- For the official Work For the Dole guideline, please click here.
- For information regarding your workplace rights while undertaking Work for the Dole, please click here for the official Government position
- For those who are worried about being forced onto Work for the Dole, we encourage you to tell your job provider you would prefer to undertaken an alternative ‘Approved Activity’ which according to the Mutual Obligation Framework can include:
- Part-Time Employment
- Unpaid Work Experience Placements
- Voluntary Work
- part-time study/training (in a Certificate III or higher)
- accredited language, literacy and numeracy courses, which can include
o Skills for Education and Employment
o Adult Migrant English Programme
- Defence Force Reserves
- Other government programmes, including state government programmes and the Green Army Programme.
For more information, click on our analysis of the jobactive system here.