Employment

Clients must advise Work and Income of any change in their circumstances that may affect their entitlement to Supported Living Payment or the rate of benefit, such as commencing employment.

When a client is placed into work or starts working you will need to determine whether they still meet the medical qualification for Supported Living Payment.

If a client is regularly working 15 hours or more a week in open employment they will no longer qualify for Supported Living Payment. The client is not severely restricted in their capacity for work. Open employment is any employment other than sheltered employment.

• clients who are totally blind are able to work 15 hours or more a week, without it affecting their qualification for Supported Living Payment
• clients undertaking an Sustainable Employment Trial with the prior agreement of their case manager

These clients can work 15 hours or more a week for an agreed period of up to 26 weeks, without it affecting their qualification for Supported Living Payment during the agreed period.

There is no set definition of what is regular but there are guidelines available to help you determine regular employment of 15 hours or more a week.

For help to decide when to cancel the benefit when a client commences regular work of 15 hours or more see:

• Guidelines for regular employment