Failing a social obligation
If a client has received regular engagement and support and they are still not taking all reasonable steps to meet their social obligations, they still need to attend a final appointment.
A social obligations failure can be initiated when you consider that a client has, without a good and sufficient reason, failed to meet their social obligations by:
- not taking all reasonable steps to meet their social obligations following the process of regular engagement and support (that involves at least 3 contact steps) or
- not attending the final appointment during their regular engagement and support process
Before you initiate an obligations failure for social obligations you must get approval from your manager client service delivery. An obligation failure should only be used when all other efforts to encourage engagement and support with the client have been exhausted.
For more information see:
- Social obligations
- Social obligations Regular engagement and support process
- Social obligations All reasonable steps to meet social obligations
- When the sanction is imposed
Legislation
- Exclusion of sanction if failure is subject of prosecution under Education and Training Act 2020 section 243 Social Security Act 2018
- Breach of obligation in relation to dependent children: additional steps before notice may be given section 255 Social Security Act 2018
- Case management support for beneficiary in breach of obligation in relation to dependent children section 267 Social Security Act 2018
