Sickness Allowance was recently replaced by Jobseeker Payment to better accommodate individual circumstances including people who are sick or bereaved.
These allowances will be given to people who are.
o Employees who are stood down or lost employment
o Sole traders
o Self employed
o Casual workers
o Contract workers
o Careers of affected Coronavirus Patient
Applicants for Jobseeker Payment and Youth Allowance Jobseeker will:
o Make an initial declaration about their identity, residency status, income and that they have been made redundant, or had their hours reduced (including to zero) as a result of the economic downturn due to coronavirus.
o In the case of sole traders and the self employed, make a declaration that their business has been suspended or had turnover reduced significantly.
What’s removed or no longer required right now:
• Employment Separation Certificates, proof of rental arrangements and verification of relationship status
• Job Seeker Classification Instrument assessment for those people who have recently left jobs, recognizing they are job ready
• Job seekers to make an appointment with an employment service provider before they can be paid
Applicants may also declare the amount of rent they pay in this declaration to qualify for Rent Assistance. However, Services Australia has effective measures in place to detect those seeking to defraud the social security system. Anyone fraudulently claiming a payment will need to pay the money back and may face imprisonment.
What’s Waived and what’s not:
Asset testing for Jobseeker Payment, Youth Allowance Jobseeker and Parenting Payment will be waived for the period of the Coronavirus supplement. Income testing will still apply to the person’s other payments.
Liquid Asset test Waiting Period (LAWP) and the Seasonal Work Preclusion Period (SWPP) will also be waived for recipients eligible for the Coronavirus supplement. People currently serving a LAWP will no longer need to serve that waiting period.
The Newly Arrived Residents Waiting Period (NARWP) will be temporarily waived for recipients eligible for the Coronavirus supplement. When the Coronavirus supplement ceases, those people that were serving a NARWP will continue to serve the remainder of their waiting period, though the time the person was receiving the Coronavirus supplement will count towards their NARWP. Residency requirements still apply.
Income Maintenance Periods and Compensation Preclusion Periods will continue to apply, as payments under these arrangements are treated as income.
Allowances or Entitlement:
People who are getting Jobseeker Payment and Youth Allowance Jobseeker Cannot get employer entitlements such as annual leave or sick leave or Income Protection Insurance. You can’t get both at the same time.
Accelerated claim process
To ensure timely access to payments, new applicants are encouraged to claim through on line and mobile channels. If applicants do not have internet access, they can claim over the phone.
• From April 2020, Services Australia will allow new applicants to call to verify their identity to reduce the need to visit a Services Australia office.
• To claim online, people who do not already deal with Services Australia will need to set up their myGov account, call to verify their identity, and get a link to their Centrelink online account.
(Disclaimer : This message is for general awareness please seek specific advice meeting your own circumstance -Source Factsheet , Australian Government Treasury/ Coronavirus.)