Employment part of the 26 week reapplication

As part of the 26 week reapplication, clients and partners (if any included in their Jobseeker Support) must participate in and complete an appropriate employment engagement.

An employment engagement helps clients, and their partner, prepare for, find or retain suitable paid employment. The intention is to connect clients to employers, job opportunities, or identify other supports that will help them into employment.

The type of employment engagement a client must participate in and complete depends on what obligations they have.

Note not all clients and partners need to complete an employment engagement.

To satisfy the employment part of the reapplication a client or partner with work obligations (full-time or part-time work obligations) must:

• participate in and complete a specific employment engagement in the 13 weeks before their expiry date, or
• participate in an engagement that is considered suitable for improving their work readiness, such as discussing their job search activities or help with removing barriers that prevent work readiness, or
• confirm they are employed for at least:
  • 15 hours (for a client getting Jobseeker Support on the grounds of a health condition, injury or disability, with part-time work capacity), or
  • 20 hours (for a partner with youngest dependent child aged between 3 and 13 years old), or
  • 30 hours (for partners with full-time work obligations).

Note if a client is in full-time employment they do not qualify for Jobseeker Support.

Clients with work preparation obligations who have not completed a specific employment engagement in the 13 weeks before their expiry date, must answer work preparation questions as part of their reapplication to satisfy the employment part of the reapplication.

Clients with work preparation obligations may still choose to engage with MSD to discuss what they are doing to prepare for suitable employment, however they do not need to do this as part of their reapplication.

Part-time employment

If a client or their partner has part-time work obligations (either 15 or 20 hours per week) and they are working 15 to 20 hours per week, they are considered to be meeting their work obligations. To satisfy the employment part of their reapplication these clients must engage with MSD during the notice period to confirm their work arrangements.

Full-time employment

If a partner has full-time work obligations and is working 30 hours or more per week, they are considered to be meeting their work obligations. To satisfy the employment part of their reapplication, partners must engage with MSD during the notice period to confirm their work arrangements.

Note if a client is in full-time employment they do not qualify for Jobseeker Support.