Changes to Disability Support Pensioners Working Hours Introduced into Parliament

Posted: Thursday, February 16, 2012 - 08:39

The Federal Government has introduced further reforms to the Disability Support Pension (DPS) allowing people with disabilities to work twice as many hours.

The Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Disability Support Pension Participation Reforms) Bill 2012 introduces new participation requirements for Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipients who have some capacity to work.

In November 2011, the Gillard Government introduced its controversial changes to the Social Security Act – which includes changes to the Impairment Tables used to determine eligibility for the Disability Support Pension - have passed through Parliament.

People who apply for the Disability Support Pension (DSP) from the 1st January 2012 are assessed under the new Impairment Tables. (The Impairment Tables are used in Disability Support Pension assessments to measure how a person's impairment affects their ability to work, and were last reviewed in 1993.)

The Government says the latest Bill introduces more generous rules to allow DSP recipients to work up to 30 hours a week and continue to receive a part-pension, subject to income and assets testing.

From 1 July this year:

DSP recipients aged under 35 years with some capacity to work will be required to attend regular participation interviews with Centrelink to develop participation plans, to help build their capacity and overcome barriers to work; and
All DSP recipients will be able to work up to 30 hours a week without their payment being suspended or cancelled, subject to the income test. Currently DSP recipients granted after 11 May 2005 can only work up to 15 hours a week before their payment is suspended or cancelled. These people find it difficult to find work that is limited to only 15 hours a week and many want to work more hours.

The government says that this is an important change that will give people with disability the security they need to test their ability to work more hours, without worrying about losing qualification for the disability pension.

It says this will encourage an estimated 4,000 DSP recipients to take up work, and an estimated 3,900 DSP recipients who are already employed to work extra hours.

In addition to these changes to the DSP, the Government says it is delivering extra support for people with disability, including more employment services and new financial incentives for employers to take on more people with disability.

The Government says it will also ensure the DSP continues to be an essential safety net for Australians who are unable to work.

The Bill also introduces new rules from 1 July that allow DSP recipients who have a severe and permanent disability and no future work capacity to travel overseas for more than 13 weeks while retaining access to their pension.

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DSP reforms

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 16 February 2012.

The government has done something here that depends to a large extent on the willingness of the employer community to participate. People with a disability (like myself) may want to work more than 15 hrs, so that reform is good. Getting an employer to hire a PWD remains the problem.

Examples:
1- I worked for a federal governemnt agency that claimed they could not provide reasonable accommodations because it would take too long. they did not try to provide them, just said they cant.

Obviously i no longer work there and am apparently being assisted by a job network provider who says "we can't do anything for people at your skill level, but we can help you get a call centre job".

2- An advertised job with Legal Aid Victoria includes the statement "we will provide reasonable accommodations where possible". ? nice, this where possible reflects the Federal departments view it seems, but is a new definition that is not included the Disability Discrimination Act (Cth).

3- A County Court (Vic)Judges associate job requires the applicant to have a drivers license. Clearly even the Court recruiters (department of justice HR) can't get the concept of inherent requirements of a job or even the reasonable adjustments provisions.

4- Government agencies more and more are using recruitment firms that filter peope out. As these people do not offer a job, and because of this, the extent and reach of the legal protections afforded people with a disability when looking for employment are equally filterd by the person reading applications (ie- their is no legal protection by the Equal Oppertunity Act 2010 Vic).

To press the point a little further, I met Mr Bill shorten at an equity law conference last July. I had interacted with him previously and we discussed the state of affairs with regard to Federal and State governments employing people with a disability. his aproximation was that 3% of the governemnt positions are filled with people identifying as having a disability.

Confused at this staggeringly low figure, I suggested the government needed to take a leadership role in employing people with a disability, particularly since the AFL and Telstra came to the same conference to anounce their initiatives.

Mr Shorten's comment was "it's not the governments responsibility, why don't you do something about it?". My understanding is that this was recorded on video... I take this oppertunity to thank the next prime ministerial candidate and ex-minister for disability.

What this all amounts to is the government saying, not dooing. how long before it will be a requirement that DSP recipients are made to work this additional time? all while they themselves are actually, in some cases, actively discriminating against people with a disability. How then can the government expect the corporate/business community to act in accordence with legislation they don't?

i invite you to verify this information yourself by searching for a few governemnt jobs or websites. I also note, the reforms are a good thng, just not the quick fix approach to addressing only 1 part of the provlem.

cheers!

Smoke and Mirros more Bull Dust and still no help

Submitted by William Black (not verified) on 12 May 2012.

Im on a disability pension at 40 years of age. I want to work, found some part time work. I went to a disability employment provider for assistance. What do I get? Nothing but heart ache and arguments, Why? Because they have stated there is no money for them to help me. I have taken it up with the Minister several times and all she does is passes it on to Deweer whom confirm, THERE IS NO FUNDING TO HELP ME. I have gone back and asked Elliss's office a few more time to please provide me with detail showing exactly what assistance is available to disable pensioners. Guess what? It never gets answered. I ring them again and they said it has been passed onto Deweer again. They again get back to me and tell me the same thing, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PROVIDE FUNDING TO HELP ME. I ask them to put it in writing and they refuse. I do 8 hours a week and im now forced to give it up because I just can't afford to keep going doing it and trying to rehab my self at the same time. Ive given up, I will sit back on the pension now till I die.