Good and sufficient reason for failure to complete Upskilling

A client may be unable to complete Upskilling for a good and sufficient reason. These reasons may include, but are not limited to, the client was:

• unable to complete the required hours in any one of the four weeks due to reasons outside of their control, for example:
  • there was a death or serious illness in the client's family
  • they were sick or injured within the sanction period and this impacted their ability to participate in their employment-related training or course
  • they had an unexpected event occur (e.g. they were involved in an accident that affected their ability to participate in
  • their employment-related training or course)
• faced with an unsafe environment while completing their employment-related training or course
• could no longer complete their online courses as the device they were using was unavailable (through loss, damage, or theft) and they were unable to access another device or get to their nearest service centre

If a client is delayed in notifying MSD of their good and sufficient reason, the delay must only be for a reasonable period. MSD will determine on a case-by-case basis whether the length of the delay is reasonable or not.

If MSD determines that they are unable to complete Upskilling for a good and sufficient reason, and a client has notified MSD within a reasonable period, MSD must impose a Grade 1 financial sanction. The date the financial sanction is imposed depends on when MSD determines the client has a good and sufficient reason for failing to complete their Upskilling requirements.

MSD must also assign a recompliance activity to the client as soon as possible.

Note if a client informs MSD of a good and sufficient reason within a reasonable period, but after the Upskilling sanction period has ended, a replacement sanction can no longer be imposed. They must be given a different recompliance activity to complete, after which their payments can be increased.

Jacob failed an obligation to work with a contracted services provider and his case manager imposed Upskilling as a non-financial sanction. He had just started a four-week IT skills course when his child became very sick and required full time care.

By the time Jacob's child recovered, he had not done the required five hours of employment-related training or courses and missed self-reporting in MyMSD for week one. His benefit is reduced.

He calls his case manager to let them know what happened. His case manager is satisfied there is a good and sufficient reason Jacob was unable to complete the requirements of his Upskilling non-financial sanction and that he contacted MSD as soon as he reasonably could.

A replacement financial sanction is imposed from the date his payments reduced and Jacob is given a different recompliance activity.

Edward failed an obligation to attend an interview and his case manager imposed Upskilling as a non-financial sanction. He is two weeks into his barista course when someone else on the course hears that Edward is there because he's on a benefit and this course is a sanction for him.

They tell other people who are at the course and some people start harassing him and making unkind comments about why he's there. Edward feels very uncomfortable and contacts MSD to let them know what's happening.

MSD decides the course is no longer appropriate for Edward to complete because he's being bullied and feels unsafe. MSD imposes a replacement sanction from that day and arranges for him to do a different recompliance activity.