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Jobseeker Support : Contents

Clients who have a health condition or are injured or disabled

A client can be deferred from their work obligations and be subject to work preparation obligations, when they have a health condition, injury or disability and have:

  • no capacity to work or
  • capacity to work less than 15 hours per week

Capacity to work at least 15 hours per week

Clients who have a health condition, injury or disability and have the capacity to work at least 15 hours per week are subject to part-time work obligations.

The information contained in the Work Capacity Medical Certificate will help MSD determine if the client should be either:

  • deferred from work obligations or
  • subject to part-time work obligations

Live Organ Donor

When a client or partner have decided to donate a kidney or liver tissue they can continue to receive their current benefit. The client or partner must provide evidence they have been accepted as a live organ donor.

Medical evidence must be signed by a registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner.

The medical certificate coverage can be up to 12 weeks.

Unable to meet work preparation obligations

Clients who have a health condition, injury or disability may be granted an exemption from their work preparation obligations if it is unrealistic that they be required to plan.

For example when a client is:

  • in hospital or
  • is unable to attend an interview with MSD due to their condition

Consider the information on the client's Work Capacity Medical Certificate to see if the registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner (or dentist or midwife where relevant) has advised of any restrictions to a client's capacity to plan.

For more information see:

Legislation

  • Deferral of work-test obligations section 155 Social Security Act 2018
  • Mandatory deferral of work-test obligations if person determined under section 141(1) of Act to lack capacity for part-time work regulation 75 Social Security Regulations 2018
  • Deferral of work-test obligations on ground of later health condition, injury, or disability regulation 76 Social Security Regulations 2018
  • Procedure for deferral of work-test obligations regulation 79 Social Security Regulations 2018
  • Variation or discharge of deduction notice regulation 225 Social Security Regulations 2018
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A midwife is a health practitioner who is registered with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand and trained to provide necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period up to 6 weeks, to facilitate births and to provide care for the newborn.

Midwives can only sign medical certificates for pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions within the range of the midwives' profession.

This includes signing medical certificates for complications ...

A dentist or dental practitioner is a health practitioner who is registered with the Dental Council of New Zealand and cares for any disease, disorder or condition of the teeth and associated structures.

Dentists can only sign medical certificates for conditions that have occurred because of dental work or dental conditions.

Nurse practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and hold a current annual practising certificate.

Nurse practitioners are expert or specialist nurses with advanced education, clinical training and experience. They have demonstrated clinical competence and have the legal authority to practice as independent healthcare providers.

All nurse practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Some nurse practitioners have specialised ...

A Work Capacity Medical Certificate provides information to help determine a person's eligibility for a benefit.

Jobseeker Support - health condition, injury or disability requires a Work Capacity Medical Certificate, or other medical certificate with equivalent information, to determine eligibility and activity obligations.

This medical certificate can also be used to determine if people on other benefits are unable to meet work related obligations or to determine eligibility to Supported Living Payment ...

A medical practitioner is commonly referred to as a doctor. Medical practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand as practitioners of the profession of medicine and hold a current practising certificate.

All medical practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Medical practitioners don't need to have completed their training in New Zealand but must be registered with the New Zealand ...