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  • Participation and Activity Test requirements
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Participation and Activity Test requirements

Participation and Activity Test requirements

If you receive Newstart, Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment (with participation requirements) or Special Benefit (and you have a particular visa type) you must meet your participation or Activity Test requirements as a condition of your payment.

Meeting your participation or Activity Test requirements

To meet your participation or Activity Test requirements you must:

  • demonstrate that you are actively looking for suitable paid work
  • accept suitable work offers
  • attend all job interviews
  • agree to attend approved training courses or programs
  • never leave a job, training course or program without a good reason
  • enter into an Employment Path Plan if asked to do so.

You must meet all the participation and Activity Test requirements to continue receiving payment. If you do not meet these requirements, you may receive a failure, which will affect your payments. You will lose your payment for up to 8 weeks if you deliberately and persistently avoid your obligations.

  • No Show, No Pay failure
  • Connection and reconnection failures
  • Comprehensive Compliance Assessment
  • Serious failure
  • Unemployment Non-Payment Period

More information

For more information about Activity Test and participation requirements, refer to the Activity test and participation requirements for job seekers factsheet.

For more information about changes to exemptions for parents and principal carers, refer to the Flexible arrangements for parents and principal carers brochure.

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  • Page last updated: 27 August 2010