The journey to recovery from a major surgery is a courageous and challenging endeavour.

With each step forward comes a profound sense of resilience and determination, as individuals navigate the physical, emotional, and cognitive effects of their treatment.

Unfortunately for Australians relying on welfare services, hospitalisation doesn't always mean understanding and support from governmental agencies.

Mark (name changed) found himself in a dire situation where his Centrelink payments were halted while he was unable to fulfil his job-seeking obligations due to being in the hospital recuperating from a brain tumour surgery.

His jobseeker payments were suspended by his job agency in April 2023, despite submitting a medical certificate verifying his surgery.

A letter from Services Australia said his payment was ‘stopped from 14 April 2023 because you did not go to, or were late for an appointment arranged by your provider on 13 April 2023’.

There is no rule mandating employment agencies to communicate with their employees before halting their payments.

While recovering from a brain tumour surgery, Mark’s Centrelink payments were cut off by his job agency in April 2023. Credits: Shutterstock

Despite Mark submitting a medical certificate to Services Australia citing his inability to meet his obligations due to undergoing surgery on 10 April, the payments were still suspended.

‘I ended up in hospital after the operation and then got a text message from [the job provider] saying they’ve cancelled my payments, which was really frustrating,’ Mark said.

The disheartening reality was that the medical certificate took weeks to process, while Mark faced six weeks without financial assistance during his recovery when clarity of thought and communication was impeded.

The suspension placed him in a vulnerable position with no funds to cover the basics such as food or a roof over his head—particularly problematic as he was also grappling with homelessness.

‘Technically, I was in hospital, but I was homeless. I was staying in short-term accommodation,’ he explained.

‘So I thought, “That’s all I need to have that cut off. How am I going to pay rent anywhere? Buy food?” It was just a kick in the guts I didn’t really need at the time.’

‘I had to try then, to call them back, then call the manager, and it just became a drawn-out process,’ he added.

Mark relocated to his sister's residence in regional Victoria to recover from the operation.

With her assistance, he reached out to Services Australia and applied for a medical exemption.

However, he expressed frustration, stating that his benefits should not have been terminated in the first place.

‘I think it’s overreaching,’ he said. ‘[Services Australia] have been given too much authority to cancel people’s payments without proper due diligence.’

He expresses gratitude for the current medical exemption but recalled, ‘it just wasn’t there’ when he needed it initially.

The concerns echoed by ACOSS Chief Executive, Cassandra Goldie, point to an immediate need for reform, saying the number of suspensions was ‘unconscionable’.

‘Each month, more than 80,000 people are threatened with loss of the income support that barely keeps them fed and housed, often due to oppressive automated systems that can make it impossible for people to meet their compliance obligations,’ she said.

Goldie added that the suspension of payments can cause immense mental distress and exacerbate the financial hardship of those already struggling.

‘It is long past time to end this harmful practice,' she declared as she called for the system to show compassion and consider individual circumstances rather than operate on an automatic suspension protocol that can unjustly cut off vital support.

Last year, the parliamentary review conducted on the government's primary employment services program, Workforce Australia, proposed discontinuing automated payment suspensions, and suggested that only officials at Centrelink should be authorised to suspend income support payments.

Tony Burke, Minister of the Department of Employment and Workforce Relations (DEWR), as well as Mark’s job agency, has yet to comment on Mark’s issue.

Last week, a spokesperson of the department said that less than 10 per cent, or 28,283 of suspensions, result in a pause in income and that the median duration is four business days.

When asked about the actions to ensure that all suspensions are valid, a spokesperson said, ‘The department works closely with all providers to ensure that client requirements are appropriate to their individual circumstances.’

‘We monitor [providers’] application of the Targeted Compliance Framework and continually engage with providers on how they are applying payment suspensions and demerits, and take action where it is identified that compliance has been incorrectly applied.’

Aside from this issue, another problem that frustrates Aussies is waiting endlessly on hold in Centrelink lines before they can seek assistance from the government.

However, a savvy social media user recently revealed a trick on how to navigate this problem. You can learn more about it here.

Key Takeaways

• A jobseeker's Centrelink payments were suspended while he was recovering from brain surgery, despite submitting a medical certificate.
• The case highlighted issues with automated suspension systems that can unfairly cut off welfare recipients without proper due diligence.
• The Chief Executive of Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Cassandra Goldie, criticised the current regime as oppressive, causing unnecessary stress and poverty among jobseekers.
• A review recommended ceasing automated payment suspensions and giving the authority to suspend income support payments exclusively to Centrelink officials.

What is your take on Mark’s case? Have you also had problems with your Centrelink payments? Let us know in the comments below.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Did "Mark" submit a Centrelink medical certificate form SU415? It must be completed by a medical practitioner. A simple medical certificate from the GP or similarly qualified person does not suffice.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I'm thinking he submitted the form on line but never contacted centrelink.

If you upload your certificate on line you still need to call centrelink and you will get through if you call early in the day.

I m still waiting on dsp and I need to call every 8 weeks I still submit my doctors certificates every 12 weeks.

It was 9 weeks and I was told I needed to attend a work thing with the job agency and there was no way I could work. I called centrelink and the approved the 8 weeks then the lady went in and approved the medical certificate cleating me for 12 weeks, she also called the job agency while I was on line.

I think there is more to this story. I'm guessing he never made contact with centrelink to get them to action the medical certificate.

Don't assume by uploading documents that they will automatically be actioned

 

[Veggiepatch]

Uploading a document to Centrelink is fraught with danger. Where possible, submit any forms IN PERSON and get a reference number.

Even though a condition may be permanent, an SU415 form is only valid for a maximum of 12 weeks. Repeated submissions of these forms usually result in Centrelink contacting you suggesting you transfer from Jobseeker payments to the Disability Support Pension.

 

[Frigate]

It has to be a class action against non-competency of Centrelink decisions. This government agency completely lost human touch by automating its decision making process that even cagoule not be audited

 

[Jen77au]

I still have a request for rental documents that I provided from 4 years ago! I've moved 6 times since then and each address has been updated. The staff in Centrelink only refer you to uploading your documents to your online account, which don't get processed in the necessary time. They system is a complete and utter disaster. It's difficult enough trying to live on a disability pension without the added pressure of knowing my payments could stop at any time because of incorrect automatic system processes.

 

[Trevor A]

I agree with the need to review each case individually. I work daily with people from a huge and diverse range of challenges who are deemed to live 'independently'. Some are habitual breachers of Centrelink requirements and are cut off regularly. Often due to the persons lack of diligence and exacerbated by their addictions, mental health, or associations with people who lead them astray. And then, we get people who are cut off due to missing an appointment they didn't know about, because Centrelink sends one letter, and it has been 'lost in the system'. Surely the 'system' can recognise the difference between those trying to do the right thing, and those who are habitual offenders. Perhaps they should actually employ some people to oversee the flawed automatic system and put the 'human' back into 'human services'.

 

[Rosi Gordon]

It isn't Centrelink to blame here it is the service provider. These people are completely clueless and don't even talk to each other in the same office and are only contractors that get massive bonuses when you get employed through them so if you can't work you are chucked out to get someone else that is employable. I had 3 providers in 1 office all thinking I was their client and got continuously called by all 3 about interviews and no matter what I told them it just wouldn't sink in. Centrelink can only go by what they are told by the providers. This man needs to make a face to face appointment with Centrelink with his documents and then put in an official complaint about that provider.

 

[AlanQ]

Firstly, I never understand why people don't just contact their local Federal MP. The electoral staff have direct phone number to sort out issue on the spot. Secondly, it sounds more like the excessively over paid 'service (?) provider' is at fault, not Centrelink. Centrelink actions information from the (so called) service provider via a computer system. As a result of them putting through failure to attend an interview is the likely reason for his payments not being made. Thirdly, he now needs to make a formal complaint to the Dept of Govt that looks after these providers. But guarantee they won't. Only way for these systems to be streamlined is through intervention by the appropriate govt authority, NOT SOCIAL MEDIA.

 

[Judytash]

The problem is the issue of medical certificates not being updated at time of submission from customer and therefore the job network auto send out customers appointments
if Centrelink kept up to date with medical certificates this would not happen

 

[NotNats]

feel so sorry for Mark - people should never be made to go through this type of trauma.

 

[NanT]

Whilst I agree there are major problems with Centrelink, THIS issue is with the Job Search provider! Despite what you inform Centrelink, they have the means to overide your payment with a click of a button. They can also continue to call and threaten you AFTER you get a job, and have informed them multiple times you are now employed and no longer receiving payments. Certification is badly needed for both these roles as most positions themselves are backfilled by unemployed who know nothing of rules and regulations. The other thing here to remember is, the rules, regulations, and constant monitoring have evolved over the years due to “less honest” answers that cause staff to query responses. NOT doing this poor gentleman’s case though

 

[Veggiepatch]

Job agencies have been historically dodgy. According to one of the staff of Sarina Russo, a job agency receives a payment in the vicinity of $9000 for each and every client that they find employment for.

Thankfully I don't have to deal with these people anymore but I am still on Jobseeker benefits.

At least nobody has blamed Anthony Albanese for this debacle....yet.

 

[Olwynn]

I am teary, reading this...Centrelink stopped my Disability payment last year in October without any notification. I came upon this knowledge by accident, after setting up the confusing clunky myGov, MygovID, Services and Medicare files again. When I tried to ring the automated system, announces " You do not have a Disability payment, "and the system promptly cuts me off.
Of course, this has affected everything especially my housing rent, which is now a hefty debt. There has never been an explanation, so I am overwhelmed and cannot even start to fix it...
The water board announced to me.....that there had been a huge glitch at Centrelink in Late November, many of their customers had rung and announced this. Aagh...

 

[Cadfael]

I agree there are issues, perhaps getting rid of the JNPs and bringing back the CES is the way to go. Did Mark hand the med cert to Centrelink or to his JNP? If only handed in to the JNP, hard to blame Centrelink iof the JNP stuffed up. Ideally, copy of med cert to both.

 

[Mika]

I'm thinking he submitted the form on line but never contacted centrelink.

If you upload your certificate on line you still need to call centrelink and you will get through if you call early in the day.

I m still waiting on dsp and I need to call every 8 weeks I still submit my doctors certificates every 12 weeks.

It was 9 weeks and I was told I needed to attend a work thing with the job agency and there was no way I could work. I called centrelink and the approved the 8 weeks then the lady went in and approved the medical certificate cleating me for 12 weeks, she also called the job agency while I was on line.

I think there is more to this story. I'm guessing he never made contact with centrelink to get them to action the medical certificate.

Don't assume by uploading documents that they will automatically be actioned

You cannot get through to Centrelink. I tried calling several times and had to give up after being on hold for an hour.

 

[Suzanne rose]

You cannot get through to Centrelink. I tried calling several times and had to give up after being on hold for an hour.

Try calling at exactly 8am I always get through at this time and the longest I've waited is 35 minutes. I needed to call three times in the past week and got through each time . If you call later then yes it's hard to get through.

I have waited 80 minutes a few times but they did answer

 

[Suzanne rose]

It has to be a class action against non-competency of Centrelink decisions. This government agency completely lost human touch by automating its decision making process that even cagoule not be audited

I still have an application for dsp pending . We have to remember how many people are applying for payments and how many calls they get daily.

That's really silly stating a class action against centrelink

 

[Jersey]

This government along with previous ones have all had concerns about unemployment as they should ,but by employing more people into government departments is not the an were, all it achieves is more cost to taxpayers ,more money to heads of these departments & as with some public employees far less efficiency. I have a suggestion for both the minister & the labor government Have a board of people that are on pensions Not illegals but Australians who have worked, served & helped build this country this board could meet in each state representing those who are effected by in general terms ,incomitance from all public service areas these people would no be paid but volunteer to improve what we ,those directly involved & affected by government inability to improve without employing more public servants One of the major problems that all government has is that once employed some people who should be sacked are untouchable This goes from the lowest workers to the very top of the tax payer funded food chain I will gladly sit on any table that is called to improve our systems.

 

[LeahI]

This government along with previous ones have all had concerns about unemployment as they should ,but by employing more people into government departments is not the an were, all it achieves is more cost to taxpayers ,more money to heads of these departments & as with some public employees far less efficiency. I have a suggestion for both the minister & the labor government Have a board of people that are on pensions Not illegals but Australians who have worked, served & helped build this country this board could meet in each state representing those who are effected by in general terms ,incomitance from all public service areas these people would no be paid but volunteer to improve what we ,those directly involved & affected by government inability to improve without employing more public servants One of the major problems that all government has is that once employed some people who should be sacked are untouchable This goes from the lowest workers to the very top of the tax payer funded food chain I will gladly sit on any table that is called to improve our systems.

A bit too airy fairy to eventuate though. No one wants to listen to the ideas or suggestions from people who will benefit. Those in charge think the know what's best for us imbeciles on Govt payments, because of course we must be stupid not be employed.