OIA Response WEBB.pdf

13 August 2024

James Webb
[FYI request #27353 email]

Tēnā koe James Webb

Official Information Act request
Thank  you  for  your  email  of  24 June 2024, requesting  information relating to
jobseeker support.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Please find my decision on your request set out below. For the sake of clarity, I
will respond to your request in parts.
For the last three calendar years:
1.  How many individuals in total received jobseeker support payments? How
many of those individuals had a recorded disability/impairment/health
condition?
This information is publicly available in our Benefit Fact Sheets published on our
website:
www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-
resources/statistics/benefit/index.html.
2.  Of those without a recorded disability, what was the average time on
jobseeker support?
a.  How many of those individuals stopped receiving Jobseeker support
due to employment?
b.  How many of those individuals stopped receiving Jobseeker support
due to not meeting obligations?
Please find the information requested attached in Appendix A:
•  Table One: Average continuous duration on benefit for current working age
Jobseeker Support Work Ready clients as at the end of each quarter from
March 2021 to December 2023
•  Table Two: Cancellations of working age Jobseeker Support Work Ready
benefits for selected reasons during the period 2021 to 2023, by reason for
cancellation and calendar year
3.  What are the guidelines used to determine if an individual is 'work ready'?

The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099

Clients are assessed for ‘work readiness’ based on their individual circumstances.
The Ministry does have broader operational policy guidelines Jobseeker Support
(JS) as outlined below.
To qualify for JS a person must generally be available for and seeking full-time
employment. Depending on their circumstances, JS clients have specific
obligations. These include full-time or part-time  work  obligations,  or  work
preparation obligations. Guidance on deciding what obligations apply can be found
on  the  Ministry’s  website  here:  www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-
support/main-benefits/jobseeker-support/work-or-work-preparation-obligations-
01.html.
In some situations, the Ministry may grant a temporary exemption or deferral from
some or all of a client’s obligations. The exemption is granted for a specified period
(depending on their circumstances) and after that period ends, the relevant
obligation(s) will apply. For more information see:
•  www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-support/main-
benefits/jobseeker-support/exemptions-01.html
•  www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-support/main-
benefits/jobseeker-support/deferrals-01.html
Some people may also get JS on the ground of a health condition, injury, or
disability. People in this situation have limited capacity to seek, undertake, or be
available for full-time  employment.  Work  obligations  or  work  preparation
obligations for these clients are determined  based  on  their  capacity  for  work.
Guidance
for
deciding
work
capacity
can
be
found
here:
www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-support/main-benefits/jobseeker-
support/deciding-work-obligations-for-primary-client-healt-01.html.
4.  What evidence does MSD have regarding the outcomes of job seminars?
This may include independent reports, evaluations of the requirement to
attend, anecdotal research, etc.
Employment Seminars are just one of many tools that the Ministry uses to actively
engage with job seekers and provide them opportunities to shift into work. It is a
combination of activities, interventions, referrals to jobs, providers and services,
as  well  as  engagements  with  employers  which  lead  to  jobseekers  shifting  into
work.  Because  of  this  the Ministry  does not directly correlate a singular
engagement – like Kōrero Mahi, to exits from benefit into employment.
Since November 27th 2023 I request:
5.  A copy of all advice to Ministers on 'work-check ins' and job seminars.
I have identified one report containing information in scope of your request:
•  REP/24/2/223  –  Report  –  Delivering on your priorities, dated 14 March
2024.
The four appendices to this report contain advice to the Minister on work check-
ins and job seminars. I have decided to provide you with an excerpt of relevant
advice under section 16(1)(e) of the Act, as the primary subject of the report and
the appendices is outside of the scope of your request.
Please note that some information is withheld from this summary under section
9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being

which protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and
officials.  The  release  of  this  information  is  likely  to  prejudice  the  ability  of
government to consider advice and the wider public interest of effective
government would not be served.

Option
Benefits
Trade-offs
Early steps to
Kōrero Mahi – Let’s
Early employment
Not all Jobseeker
improve
Talk Work
engagement
Support recipients (i.e.
engagement
Commenced February
Dedicated
only Jobseeker Work

2024, targeting al  new
employment
Ready)
Jobseeker Support Work
conversations (i.e. not  Group activity aspects
1
Ready clients who are not  combined with income  may not suit all
in another service
discussion)
people’s needs
Held within two weeks of
Timely follow-up on
someone’s New
employment
Application Appointment
discussions had at
The seminar component is  benefit application
delivered in a group
appointment
setting, fol owed by 1:1
Includes one-on-one
engagement and activity
engagement with
setting with MSD staff
Employment-focused
Seminar covers
staff
employment support,
Opportunity for
opportunities and clients
referral to other
obligations; 1:1 focuses
employment supports
on keeping clients
activated in their
employment search and
locking them into a next
step
2
Getting prepared for
Keeps clients
This cohort may have a
work seminars
activated in looking or  variety of barriers to
One to-many-approach,
preparing for work
work, and by nature
delivering tailored support  Adds another tool in
seminars will not be
for jobseekers who have
MSD’s toolbox to
targeted to address
deferred ful  time work
more specific client
engage with client
obligations and aren’t in
needs
Mitigates some of the
Dedicated Case
effects of moving
The activity wouldn’t be
Management (for those
Dedicated Case
work testable or work-
clients that the seminar is  Management away
prep for all clients (will
suitable)
require further
from these cohorts
Will have some regional
investigation and
Regions/sites can
and local variation, but
refinement of the target
tailor an approach
will take a principled
cohort)
that supports their
approach
client base and

Would take place within
maximises local
A group setting may
the first 13 weeks on
opportunities
not be appropriate for
benefit, but may also
Could be set as a
some of this cohort.
target clients who have
work-preparation
Further investigation
been on benefit longer
obligation (where
will be needed to
consider other forms of
appropriate)
delivery that are
Opportunity for
equal y high value
referral to other
services
6. A summary of consultation on the above (5), and a list of those consulted.
The advice prepared on this topic was undertaken by the Ministry’s Service
Delivery and Policy teams. No further consultations were undertaken.
I will be publishing this decision letter, with your personal details deleted, on the
Ministry’s website in due course.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email].
If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request, you have the right to
seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to
make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi nui

Magnus O’Neill
General Manager
Ministerial and Executive Services