GEERS Process

GEERS Process

When a GEERS claim is received by the Department, a range of standard processes are followed. The Department aims to process your claim as quickly as possible.

This list shows the steps that a claim may go through during the GEERS process, from receiving the claim right through to the final decision. You can use this list to track where a claim is up to in the GEERS process.

  1. Before the employee lodges a claim for GEERS assistance, the employee should read the GEERS Operational Arrangements and/or the insolvency practitioner must advise the employee about the eligibility criteria for GEERS assistance. The Department uses the GEERS Operational Arrangements to determine if the employee is eligible for any GEERS assistance and the amount of any GEERS advance.
     
  2. The employee lodges a GEERS claim online or by post, by fax, by email or the insolvency practitioner sends the completed GEERS Claim Form to the Department on the employee's behalf and a GEERS case manager is allocated to the claim. To be eligible, the employee must meet a range of criteria set out in the GEERS Operational Arrangements. 
     
  3. The GEERS case manager contacts the insolvency practitioner to provide information about the GEERS process. 
     
  4. The insolvency practitioner provides the GEERS case manager with the GEERS spreadsheet containing the employee’s outstanding employee entitlements. 
     
  5. The GEERS case manager assesses the information provided by the insolvency practitioner. The GEERS Operational Arrangements are used by the GEERS case manager to assess the claim.
     
  6. The insolvency practitioner verifies the information and completes and returns a Verification and Distribution Agreement relating to the payment of GEERS advances to former employees.
     
  7. Based on the information provided by the insolvency practitioner, the GEERS case manager makes recommendations to a GEERS decision maker about employees’ eligibility for GEERS assistance and the amount of the GEERS advance.
     
  8. The recommendations are approved by a GEERS decision maker.
     
  9. Employees are notified in writing of the outcome of their GEERS claim and the amount of the advance, if any. 
     
  10. GEERS advances are provided to the insolvency practitioner, or a third party distributor engaged by the Department, who deducts tax and distributes the GEERS advances within 14 days to eligible employees. 
     
  11. An employee can ask for a review of the claim decision if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of their claim. The request for review must be lodged within 28 days from the date of the letter of the original decision. 
     
  12. Employees are notified in writing of the outcome of their review. 
     
  13. An employee can appeal the review decision if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of their review. The request for an appeal must be lodged within 28 days from the date of the letter of the review outcome.
     
  14. Employees are notified in writing of the outcome of their appeal. 
     
  15. If an employee is dissatisfied with the outcome of the appeal, they can contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman who may agree to look into the GEERS final decision. Following a complaint or on his own motion, the Ombudsman can investigate action taken by the Department relating to 'matters of administration'. Matters of policy (for example, the policies and principles underlying GEERS) are generally outside the Ombudsman's purview.

Employees wanting to find out where their claim is up to in the GEERS process can:

 

For more information, please contact GEERS on:

 

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