What is a Job Capacity Assessment?
It is a comprehensive assessment of a person’s ability to work and participate in programs of assistance including:
- identifying barriers to participation;
- recommending interventions to help overcome these barriers;
- assessing the impact of medical conditions on ability to work;
- identifying any employment support requirements; and
- direct referral to programs of assistance wherever possible.
How the Job Capacity Assessment program works
- The Job Capacity Assessment program is administered by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), which sets the requirements for service delivery in service provider contracts and guidelines.
- People who have disabilities or other barriers to work are referred for a Job Capacity Assessment by Centrelink and, in around 18 per cent of cases, by employment service providers
- Most people applying for Newstart Allowance are referred directly to Job Services Australia provider by Centrelink, without a Job Capacity Assessment.
- The policy and arrangements under which Job Capacity Assessments operate, such as requirements around referral, work capacity and eligibility for income support and employment services are set by DEEWR and by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) for Disability Support Pension customers.
- Around 50 per cent of Job Capacity Assessments are needed for Centrelink decisions. Centrelink uses the report and other information to determine eligibility for Disability Support Pension, partial capacity to work or temporary exemption from activity testing. Referral to employment services is not always appropriate for these customers.
- If customers are referred to Job Services Australia Stream Services 1-3 they may be eligible for a Job Capacity Account service.
People are referred for a JCA if:
- they are applying for Disability Support Pension or undergoing a medical review of Disability Support Pension;
- they are on Newstart or Youth Allowance and applying for an activity test exemption;
- they register directly with an employment service provider;
- they inform Centrelink or their employment service provider of a medical condition or disability that affects their work capacity and/or employment service needs;
- they have a significant change of circumstances, such as new medical evidence; and/or
- the Job Seeker Classification Instrument administered by Centrelink shows that they have significant barriers to work.
Who can receive a Job Capacity Assessment?
- jobseekers claiming or receiving Centrelink payments who have been identified as having barriers to work;
- people claiming Disability Support Pension or those who are having their Disability Support Pension reviewed; or
- voluntary job seekers such as people on Disability Support Pension who want help to find work.
People are referred for a Job Capacity Assessment by Centrelink or their employment service provider if they have significant disabilities or other barriers to work.
Who provides Job Capacity Assessments?
Eighty per cent of assessments are conducted by Government agencies: Centrelink, CRS Australia and Medibank Health Solutions (formally known as HSA Group). The remaining assessments are provided under contract by private providers selected by tender in 2006. The private providers are a mix of for-profit and non-for-profit organisations, the two largest being Advanced Personnel Management and Mission Australia. Some are also Employment Service Providers.
Assessments are provided in about 1,070 sites across Australia. Find your nearest Job Capacity Assessment Provider
How are assessments done?
Job Capacity Assessments are conducted face-to-face, with only limited exceptions (such as where a person is unable to travel). The assessor will have information on the person’s medical and income support history from Centrelink where appropriate. Customers also need to bring any new medical information they may have.
What happens after a Job Capacity Assessment?
Once a person’s capacity for work has been assessed, they can be directly referred to an employment or support service that meets their individual needs.
Where an income support decision is required, the Job Capacity Assessor will send a report to Centrelink, which is used along with other information to make an income support decision. It is Centrelink, not the Job Capacity Assessor, that makes the income support decision.
Where will the Customer be referred to?
The types of support services available to Customers include:
Details about the key components of Stream Services are on the DEEWR site.
How can quality and consistency be ensured?
Assessor training and service guidelines ensure that assessments are delivered consistently, no matter where they occur. Staff conducting assessments are allied health professionals, such as registered psychologists and rehabilitation consultants. Assessments must meet strict quality standards and are checked by Centrelink and independently audited allied health professional auditors. DEEWR closely monitors quality and appropriateness of assessments.