Non-compliance for Upskilling

A client could fail Upskilling without a good and sufficient reason at any point. This could occur when, the client does not:

• attend, participate in, and report on at least 5 hours of employment-related training or courses within a week
• provide sufficient supporting evidence of attending and participating in employment-related training or courses

If MSD determines that a client does not have a good and sufficient reason for failing to complete Upskilling, the client is considered non-compliant.

A client without dependent children will have their benefit suspended from the first day of the week that they were considered non-compliant.

Their payments will remain suspended for up to 13 weeks after Upskilling was first imposed, unless they recomply.

A client may complete a recompliance activity during this period that is the same or similar to the activity that they originally failed. Their benefit will be resumed from the date that the client recomplies.

When a client's benefit has remained suspended because they have not recomplied, their benefit will cancel 13 weeks after Upskilling was first imposed.

Clients with dependent children have 50% payment protection.

A client with dependent children will have their payments reduce by 50% from the first day of the week that they were considered non-compliant.

A client may complete a recompliance activity during this period that is the same or similar to the activity that they originally failed. Their benefit will be increased from the date that the client has recomplied.

These clients will also be contacted after 2 weeks of receiving only 50% of their benefit. For more information see: Effect of financial sanctions on assistance.