Ask Centrelink for an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt). At this assessment you are required to bring all relevant documentation that proves that you have barriers to work. Some of these barriers to work include:
- Physical condition
- Psychological condition
- Caring Responsibilities
Once your Employment Service Assessment is booked, you will not be required to undertake any appointments or activities demanded by your Employment Service Provider. While you are waiting for your Employment Services Assessment, you should look into how you can a range of activities to meet your mutual obligation requirements other than Work for the Dole. Click here for more details.
If your barriers to work are proven to be genuine, you can be exempted from doing any mutual obligation activities such as Work for the Dole. In other cases, you will be considered to have a Partial Capacity to Work (PCW) , and your requirements will decrease. Whatever the decision you can request it be sent to you in writing.
The Australian Unemployed Workers Union strongly recommends unemployed workers who think they may have a barriers to work, no matter how slight, to request a Employment Services Assessment. More information on Employment Services Assessment’s can be found here.
How to request an Employment Services Assessment
You can request an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) by calling Centrelink Newstart line on 132 850 or by going into your local branch. Centrelink are obliged to book you in to an Employment Services Assessment. If they do not book you in, you should ask to speak to their manager and state that it is your right to be booked in for an ESAt.
If Centrelink say that they cannot book you in because there are no appointments available, inform them that you will not be leaving until they schedule one and ask them how to make a complaint about their refusal to book you in. It is not your fault they are entirely booked out and you should not be forced to pay for this lack of resources by going to appointments and activities that will aggravate your medical condition.
If they refuse to process your complaint, get the persons name (and a reference number if possible) and call the Commonwealth Ombudsman to make a complaint about there failure to book you in. There number is 1300 362 072 and follow the prompts.