Where a person submits a medical certificate stating that they are unable to work, Centrelink may require that they attend a Job Capacity Assessment (JCA). Such referrals are often made where the person has an episodic or chronic psychiatric or physical condition.
The JCA will involve an assessment of the person's condition, its affect on their work capacity and whether there are any suitable activities the person could undertake. The Job Capacity Assessor will also make an assessment as to whether the person’s condition is temporary or permanent.
A person may also be referred for assessment to another specialist assessor, such as a Centrelink psychologist.
Where Centrelink accepts that a person has a temporary incapacity for work, Centrelink may still require that they participate in other "job preparation" activities. Centrelink will then refuse to give the person an exemption from the activity test, and will require the person to enter into an Activity Agreement. The person may be required to participate in a Job Network or a Disability Employment Assistance programme and their Activity Agreement may also require job search.
Where a person with a temporary incapacity is refused an activity test exemption, Centrelink should take into account the person's individual circumstances. Centrelink should not impose requirements that exceed the person's capacity, impede their recovery or interfere with treatment of the person's condition (see Chapter 17 for more information on temporary incapacity exemptions from the activity test).
A person receiving Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance who fails to comply with requirements set out in their Activity Agreement, or other requirements imposed by Centrelink, may have their Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance stopped or suspended, and they may incur an penalty (see Chapter 22). It is therefore important that Centrelink tailors a person's Activity Agreement in the light of limitations their disability, illness or injury imposes on their capacity to undertake job search and job preparation activities. Where a person is penalised for failing to comply with an activity test requirement or the terms of their Activity Agreement they should appeal to an Authorised Review Officer and if possible provide supporting medical evidence (see Chapter 48 for information about appealing).
