Unemployment Know Your Rights
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UNEMPLOYMENT D ENErlTSt KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Brotherhood of St Laurence UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS:■ P K iiiiir ■ ■ KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Contents 1. Unemployment Benefit:— how do you get it? 2. Amount of Benefit 3. Educated and unemployed 4. The Work Test 5. Your cheque hasn't arrived:— what should you do? 6. Field Officers 7. De facto relationships 8. Your right to appeal 9. If you are sick; other Benefits; Training Schemes 10. Unemployment Benefit and taxation 11. Lists of C.E.S. Offices and Department of Social Security Offices UNEMPLOYMENT Iffim MAW w VV YAUD■ WWEm IMl 1 I All W 1 VC■ « P Index Leaflet No. Advance Payment 9 Interstate Transfer of Benefits 9 Amount of Benefit 2 Interviews 1 Appeals 8 Late Cheques 5 Appeals Tribunal 8 Leaving a Job 4 Backdated Claims 1 Lost cheques 5 C.E.S. Offices 11 Overdue cheques 5 Cheques: Part-time Students 3 Lost, Late 5 Payment Rates 2 Claiming Benefits 1 Penalties 4 Com m unity Health Services 9 Permissible Earnings 2 Counter Cheques 9 Professionals 3 Cycle o f Payments 1 Proof of Identity 1 De Facto Relationships 7 Rates of Benefits 2 Dentists 9 Reclaiming Benefits 8 Department o f Social Security Refusing Jobs 4 Offices 11 Review Officers 8 Doctors 9 School Leavers 3 Eye Services 9 Seven Day Waiting Period 1 Fare Vouchers 9 Sickness Benefit 9 Field Officers 6 Six Week Waiting Period: Health Services 9 School Leavers 3 Holidays: Special Benefit 9 Workers Without Striking Workers 1 Holiday Pay 1 Taxation of Benefits 10 Unemployed People 5 Tertiary Leavers 3 Hospital Treatment 9 Training Schemes 9 How to Apply for Benefits 1 University Leavers 3 Identification 1 Voluntary Unemployment 4 Income Test 2 W ork Test 4 - 1 . ' . ' Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Melbourne. Victoria. February, 1980. National Library of Australia Card No. ISBNi<909571 66 X IIHtMIU AYM tHf , Unemployment Benefit: hew do you set it? How do you apply for Unemployment Benefit? Day 7. As soon as you're unemployed and looking for work go to the nearest Commonwealth Employment Service office (C.E.S.) to See L ist register. Day 1 for Unemployment Benefit is the day you apply for benefit not the day you become unemployed. So apply for benefit as soon as possible. If you can't see any suitable jobs on the self-service job vacancy board, tell the counter clerk that you want to register for work and claim Unemployment Benefit. A card will be filled in (by you or an interviewing clerk) with your name, address, age, work history, etc. and you will be given an Application for Unemployment Benefit form. Answer every question and sign the form, then hand it back. (There is a special form for See Educated school leavers who cannot receive Unemployment Benefit for a and Unemployed period of 6 weeks after they leave school.) This form is then sent by the C.E.S. to the nearest Department of Social Security regional See List office which is the office that makes payments to people living in your area. You will be given another form to be taken back to the C.E.S. 14 days later (unless your claim has been backdated). This is called a First Income Statement. The date you have to take the form back will be stamped or printed in the top right-hand corner. An appoint ment may be made for you to go to an interview, usually on Day 14, at the Department of Social Security regional office. Day 14. If you have not found a job the First Income Statement is handed in at the C.E.S. on Day 14. This form should include a list of jobs you have applied for so make sure you keep a note of these. The C.E.S. will check that you have listed jobs in this section. On Day 14 you should also be given another form called Application for Continuation of Unemployment Benefit — Income Statement dated another 14 days later. Your First Income Statement is either sent by the C.E.S. to the Department of Social Security regional office or you may be asked to take it with you to your interview. The interview is to check details of your claim with you to help find out whether you will be paid. Day 16/17. If you are going to be paid, the Department of Social Security should then issue a cheque for 1 weeks benefit which you should receive in the mail 2 or 3 working days later. This cheque should cover days 8 to 14 inclusive. You are not usually paid for the first 7 days. Hand in tirfct- Incorne Colled- A()^Uc£fh6»n fov Gbnrbnuci'honof Bsnefxhs Day 28. If you have not found work by the date stamped on your form 'Application for Continuation of Unemployment Benefit — Income Statement' you fill out that form and hand it in at the C.E.S. on Day 28. You must hand all forms in personally. Day 30/31. Two or 3 working days after handing in the form you should receive a cheque in the mail for 2 weeks benefit. This cheque should be payment for days 15 to 28 inclusive. This time the dated 'Application for Continuation of Unemploy ment Benefit — Income Statement' form should come in the mail with the cheque. From then on you should continue taking these forms into the C.E.S. every fortnight on the correct date and your cheque should come 2 or 3 working days after the form is handed in. If the form does not come with your cheque, collect one from the C.E.S. office as soon as possible. Ask the staff to mark on the form the date it is due. How is it decided whether you get Benefits or not? You must meet all the following requirements: U nem ployed To receive Unemployment Benefit you must be unemployed, and available for full time work. So, if you have a part-time job during the week or attend a course during the day you aren't considered to be unemployed. Age You must be between 16 — 60 years of age (female) or 16 — 65 years of age (male). (If ’ you are outside these ages you may be able to get a Special Benefit or an Age Pension). Australian resident You will need to show that you have lived in Australia for the past 12 months or intend to live here permanently (having family or long term financial commitments in Australia could help your case). W ork Test. You must be willing and able to work and be registered as unemployed at the C.E.S. See Work Te' Income Test. You must explain what money (if any) you get. Remember, it's not \seeA m ount what you ow n that counts (e.g. money in the bank) but what you o f Benefit (and/or your wife/husband) get, (e.g. interest on money in the bank). On s trik e People who are on strike or people whose union is on strike and have been stood down are not eligible for Unemployment Benefit (even though they aren't on strike themselves). fyi iWVtivK / baufcpoij dfJch, \ Vo ye $5-S3 Ry RnR.nod’ Proof of identity. The Department of Social Security want to be sure you are not applying for benefits in several names. When you apply for Unemployment Benefit payments will not be made until you show some proof of your identity. You will be asked for this at the C.E.S. and also at your interview at the Department of Social Security. You can be asked for proof of identity at any time while you are receiving benefit. One of the following should be shown before you receive any pay ment of benefit. • A copy of an original birth, baptisimal or marriage certificate or an extract over 5 years old. • A group certificate covering at least a six-month period. • An original motor vehicle registration form in your name. • A credit card stating your full name and address. • A rate or water rate notice with your full name and address. • A taxation assessment notice for the previous year. • An insurance policy over two years old. • A passport. • School leavers may produce a reference or recent school report written on official school paper. Bank passbooks driving licences and birth extracts under five years old are n ot acceptable by themselves. If you can't get any of these you should go to your Department of Social Security office where a member of staff will help you to 'establish identity'. If necessary, the Department of Social Security will try to find a birth certificate, etc. for you, however, you still must pay for the cost of any certificate. Your rights 1. Even if you are not sure whether you are eligible you have a right to apply for unemployment benefit. 2. If your cheque is late, contact your local Social Security Office quickly and find out why. You have a right to the payment. Don't be afraid to stand up for your rights. 3. You will be interviewed often and asked many personal questions. If you are asked questions which you think are not necessary ask the interviewer to explain fully the reason the questions are being asked. Do not give more details than you have to. Always ask and write down the name of the person interviewing you. 4. If any decision is made to refuse or cancel or postpone your unemployment benefit you have a right to appeal — see leaflet in this series called Your Right to Appeal.