What is an Employment Services Assessment?
Employment Services Assessments recommend the most appropriate employment service assistance based on an assessment of the job seeker’s:
- barriers to finding and maintaining employment (this may relate to the impact of a person's disability, injury, illness, or other disadvantage), and
- work capacity (in hour bandwidths).
Assessors use available information about the job seeker, including current and past medical and disability status, and prior participation and employment history to assess work capacity and barriers. Assessors can also liaise with treating doctors and other relevant health professionals as required.
Employment Services Assessments may also be used by Centrelink to inform decisions regarding income support payments and to determine the level of participation required for activity tested job seekers in accordance with the Social Security Act 1991.
Types of Employment Services Assessments
There are two types of Employment Services Assessments from 1 July 2011. These are:
- Medical Condition Employment Services Assessments—is an assessment of the job seeker’s circumstances to determine work capacity and the most appropriate service, where one or more medical conditions are identified. Employment Services Assessments are similar to the previous Job Capacity Assessments for potentially highly disadvantaged job seekers with disability, injury or illness. In a Medical condition Employment Services Assessments the assessor must rely on the available medical evidence.
- Non—Medical Condition Employment Services Assessments—is an assessment of the job seeker’s circumstances that determines the most appropriate service, where no medical condition is identified—for example, a young person at serious risk of homelessness. A non—medical condition Employment Services Assessments is normally less complex than an Employment Services Assessments for a job seeker with disability, injury or illness, and will be streamlined to meet the individual’s needs.
Depending on the circumstances, a non—medical condition Employment Services Assessments can be extended to a medical condition Employment Services Assessment by the assessor at the same appointment, where medical evidence is available.
Assessment Interviews
Wherever possible, Employment Services Assessments will be conducted through a face to face interview. Where a face to face assessment is impractical for the job seeker or the job seeker has a medical condition or barrier which restricts them from attending a face to face interview, a video or phone assessment will be arranged.
Who conducts an Employment Services Assessment?
All Employment Services Assessments are conducted by qualified health and allied health professionals, including Psychologists and Registered Nurses employed by Department of Human Services. All Assessors must be eligible for membership of their professional Board or Association and meet all requirements to practice in the State or Territory in which they work.