on the ROD file for when it is allocated.
• Third party – If a third party has signed the review form you will
need to contact the student to confirm receipt of the review and
confirm who to send the response to. If the third party is a
nominated agent, an acknowledgement letter will need to be
sent to the agent and cc’d to the student.
• If they are not an agent, an acknowledgement letter is to be sent
to the student advising the receipt of the ROD, an agent’s form
needs to be included if
agency is required.
An acknowledgement letter is also sent to the third party
confirming receipt of the review detailing that all responses will
be sent to the student, unless otherwise stated.
Please check the student’s address and contact details and ensure
these are current and up to date in SAL and SCMS.
• Once you have printed and signed the letter – photocopy and attach
it to the correspondence and put in the SA box for allocation, send
the original to the student.
Paste acknowledgement letter into SAL.
Benefit and/or Non Beneficiary decisions
• Social Security Act (SSA) RODs need to be entered onto the RWT
database and they also need to be entered into the HIYA system.
All acknowledgement letters must be sent to students within
24 hours of receipt.
• Before the acknowledgement letter can be sent you must determine
who has made the decision. If the decision was made by Work and
Income you must scan the review and email it to the relevant Case
Manager and ‘cc’ the Assistant Service Centre Manager.
If Work and Income want the original review form send this via
courier pack otherwise batch this.
• For StudyLink decisions, follow the instructions on HIYA to send out
an acknowledgment letter to the student. For SSA debt reviews,
Collections Unit Hamilton Site must be entered into the ‘interested
debt site’ field in HIYA and s 9(2)(a) - Privacy and s 9(2)(a) - Privacy as the
‘Interested party’ (names relevant as at 12/1/2018).
• Paste acknowledgement letter into SAL and add note to CMS.
Debt reviews
• All debt reviews where the debt was created by the Integrity
Intervention Centre must be forwarded to them to complete.
Any debts created by StudyLink due to a Customs or Marriage
match are completed by the Report Writing Team. You will need to
scan a copy of the review and email it to the Integrity Intervention
Centre and forward the original via courier pack – please note the
tracking number in the email.
Any reviews that are received in relation to debt MUST have the debt
4
recommendation.
When writing the case for StudyLink, make reference to, and
include the appropriate policy and legislation used to make
StudyLink’s decision.
Once the report has been completed, you must also draft a
recommendation letter. The submission is found in Doogle
under Internal documents and other and the recommendation
letters are found under Statutory Review documents:
• Internal review 14 day letter
• Internal review 14 day part changed letter
Once the report and letter have been drafted, the Report
Writer signs the report and covering letter (printed on
StudyLink letterhead). Print, and attach the 14 day review
check list found under the Statutory Review documents to the
review file for the delegated person to complete at sign off.
Signoff
A Team Leader or Service Manager has delegation to sign off
Student Allowance reviews at the internal stage. Please
ensure that the staff member signing off the recommendation
has not been involved with the case.
The delegated authority must complete and sign the cover
sheet agreeing that based on the current information we hold,
the correct decision has been made.
The sign off must be returned to the Report Writer within 24
hours with any feedback about the case/report.
14 Day report
Once the report has been signed off, you need to make a copy
of both the report and 14 day letter, to be held with the review
file, and send the originals to the student. This should be sent
by trackpak and the trackpak number recorded in SAL notes.
At this stage the student is given 14 days to provide
information or comment on the report. The student is also
given the option of either attending a Student Allowance
Review (SAR) hearing or have the Secretary alone make the
final decision for the student’s review.
During the 14 day period you must attempt contact with the
student at least three times to confirm receipt of the report and
to determine how they want their review to proceed (Secretary
alone or SAR hearing).
If contact is made and the student advises that they want the
final decision to be heard by either the Secretary alone or a
SAR hearing, please refer to the relevant sections of this
document for the required actions.
9
Further Information
If further information is received from the student as a result of
the 14 day report, this must be considered and included on an
Extra Information Sheet. Any phone conversations should
also be recorded on the Extra Information Sheet so that the
Secretary can make an informed final decision on the review
issue.
If the student provides information that changes the original
recommendation the overturn process needs to be followed.
If the information provided does not change the
recommendation, a copy of the Extra Information Sheet will be
sent to the student with a covering letter advising that all
information has been forwarded to the Secretary for their final
decision.
Once the 14 days has expired and no further information has
been provided, you need to check notes, Vretrieve and
tracking to see if any further information was received from the
student. If no further information/evidence has been provided
and contact cannot be made with the student, refer the review
to the Secretary alone to make the final decision. Make sure
the trackpak was actually delivered to the student before
sending for Secretary decision.
There will be occasions when the student will have to be
allowed more than 14 days to provide comment or further
information on their review of decision. If the 14 day letter and
submission is returned to StudyLink and we have a further
address we need to re-send this, and allow an additional
14 days for the student to respond.
Remember the 14 day timeframe is an internal timeframe and
not legislated so we can always allow students further time to
consider our submission or to gather further evidence.
Prepare the final uphold report for the Secretary. The sign off
must be returned to the Report Writer within five working days.
Once this is signed off a copy of the Secretary report and the
original letter are trackpaked to the student. Add template
notes to SAL advising the decision has been upheld, paste a
copy of the letter into SAL and update the Database.
System notes
SAL - All contacts, delay reasons and outcomes are to be
documented here. Paste outcome letters; this includes
Secretary letters.
CMS - It is not necessary to document contact or decisions
here, however, if this is pertinent info for Work and Income a
note should be entered i.e. Student Allowance declined due to
part-time study; have recommended the client approach Work
and Income for assistance.
10
Student Allowance debts
Any information you are needing to update/advise or get
Collections across (i.e. have finished the ROD and the debt is
recoverable)
is sent to the email address -
SSIS Student Debt [email address]
11
under Internal documents as ‘ROD submission’ and the
recommendation letters are found under Administration review
documents:
• Administration review 14 day letter
• Administration review 14 day part changed letter
Once the report and letter have been drafted, the Report
Writer signs the report and covering letter. Print, attach the
14 day review check list found under Statutory Review
documents and give to the delegated person to complete at
sign off.
Signoff
A Team Leader or Service Manager has delegation to sign off
Student Allowance reviews at the internal stage. Please
ensure that the staff member signing off the recommendation
has not been across the case.
The delegated authority must complete and sign the cover
sheet agreeing that based on the current information we hold,
the correct decision has been made.
The sign off must be returned to the Report Writer within 24
hours with any feedback about the case/report.
14 Day report
Once the report has been signed off, you need to make a copy
of both the report and 14 day letter, to be held with the review
file, and send the originals to the student.
At this stage the student is given 14 days to provide
information or comment on the report.
Once the 14 days has expired you need to check notes,
Vretrieve and tracking to see if any further information was
received from the student. If no further information/evidence
has been provided and contact cannot be made with the
student, the review can be referred to a Service Manager to
make the final decision.
There will be occasions when the student will have to be
allowed more time than 14-days to provide comment or further
information on their review of decision. If the 14 day letter and
submission is returned to StudyLink and we have a further
address we need to re-send this, and allow an additional
14 days for the student to respond.
Remember the 14 day timeframe is an internal timeframe and
not legislated so we can always allow students further time to
consider our submission or to gather further evidence.
Further Information
If further information is received from the student as a result of
the 14 day report, this must be considered and included on an
14
include the appropriate policy and legislation used to make
StudyLink’s decision.
Once the report has been completed, you must also draft a
recommendation letter. The submission is found in Doogle
under other Resources & Tools, Helping Clients, Forms &
Templates, Student Allowance Review Hearing, OOT review
documents, OOT RoD submission. Complete the following
letter:
• Out of Time 14 day letter
Once the report and letter have been drafted, the Report
Writer signs the report and covering letter. Print, attach the
14 day review check list found under Statutory Review
documents and give to the delegated person to sign off.
Signoff
A Team Leader or Service Manager has delegation to sign off
Student Allowance reviews at the internal stage.
Please ensure that the staff member signing off the
recommendation has not been across the case.
It is preferable to have a Team Leader sign check this report
as this frees up the managers to be the Secretary.
The delegated authority must complete and sign the cover
sheet agreeing that based on the current information we hold,
the correct decision has been made.
The sign off must be returned to the Report Writer within
24 hours with any feedback about the case/report.
14 Day report
Once the report has been signed off, you need to make a copy
of both the report and 14 day letter, to be held with the review
file, and send the originals to the student.
At this stage the student is given 14 days to provide
information or comment on the report. The student is also
given the option of either attending a Student Allowance
Review hearing, having a hearing with the Secretary, or have
the Secretary alone make the final decision for the student’s
review.
During the 14 day period you must attempt contact with the
student at least three times to confirm receipt of the report and
to determine how they want their review to proceed (Secretary
or SAR hearing).
If contact is made and the student advises which option they
want refer to the relevant sections of this document for the
required actions.
Once the 14 days has expired you need to check notes,
Vretrieve and tracking to see if any further information was
18
received from the student. If no further information/evidence
has been provided and contact cannot be made with the
student, refer the review to the Secretary alone to make the
final decision.
There will be occasions when the student will have to be
allowed more time than 14 days to provide comment or further
information on their review of decision. If the 14 day letter and
submission is returned to StudyLink and we have a further
address we need to re-send this, and allow an additional 14
days for the student to respond.
Remember the 14-day timeframe is an internal timeframe and
not legislated so we can always allow students further time to
consider our submission or to gather further evidence.
Further Information
If further information is received from the student as a result of
the 14 day report, this must be considered and included on an
Extra Information sheet. Any phone conversations should also
be recorded on the Extra Information sheet so that the
Secretary can make an informed final decision on the review
issue.
If the student provides information that changes the original
recommendation the overturn process needs to be followed.
If the information provided does not change the
recommendation, a copy of the Extra Information summary will
be sent to the student with a covering letter advising that all
information has been forwarded to Secretary for a final
decision.
Sign Off – Out Of Time Secretary Uphold
A Secretary report does not need to be completed, just an
uphold Secretary letter which states the reason the substantive
will not be heard, that Out of Time reviews cannot be
appealed, and that the next steps for students are the
Ombudsman’s Office or Chief Executive MSD. This letter can
be found in Doogle or SLKbase with the OOT review
documents. The sign off must be returned to the Report Writer
within five working days.
System notes
SAL - All contacts, delay reasons and outcomes are to be
documented here. Paste outcome letters; this includes
Secretary letters.
CMS - It is not necessary to document contact or decisions
here, however, if this is pertinent info for Work and Income a
note should be entered.
19
Each attachment should have an attachment stamp with the
correlating attachment number in the report.
Sign off
The completed report is given to a Service Manager to be Service Manager
checked and signed-off. The Service Manager signs the
check sheet included in the Report to the Secretary.
When signing the check sheet they are confirming that the
correct decision has been made, and all relevant aspects of
the report have been completed.
Administration
One copy of the Report to the Secretary and all supporting Report Writer
documents is to be made. The copy of the report and original
supporting documents is kept with the Report Writer and the
original review file is sent to the Hearing Co-ordinator.
Hearing Co-ordinator
The Co-coordinator contacts the student to arrange a date and
time for the hearing. Once this is confirmed, the Co-
coordinator makes three copies of the report.
Hearing
Co-
ordinator
A hearing invitation letter is sent to the student along with a
copy of the Report to the Secretary. Invitation letters are also
sent to the Secretary and Ministry presenter along with copies
of the report. A copy of the Secretary checklist is sent to the
Secretary. Copies of these letters must be saved by the Co-
coordinator to be returned to the Report Writer with all
documents once the hearing process is complete.
The Hearing Co-coordinator must update the SAL record
should there be delays in organising the hearing.
Secretary hearing
After the hearing, the Co-coordinator ensures the Report of the Secretary and Co-
Secretary is completed by the Secretary. The original hearing ordinator
outcome letter and a copy of the Report of the Secretary are
sent to the student. A copy of the hearing outcome letter and
the original Report of the Secretary should be sent to the
Report Writer who completed the internal report along with all
documents pertaining to the case. The outcome letter should
be pasted into the client’s SAL record.
Further requests for information
In some circumstances the Secretary will request further Report Writer
information about a review from the Ministry via the Hearing
Co-ordinator to the Report Writer.
In these circumstances a formal response is required to be
completed by the Report Writer.
An ‘Extra Information Summary’ (found in Doogle) is compiled
22
can only rule on decisions covered by section 305 of the
Education Act 1989.
If you find that an incorrect decision has been made, this
decision can be overturned meaning a formal report is not
required to be heard by SAR.
If the decision is correct, complete the SAR report found in
Doogle under Student Allowance Review Hearing reports –
Report to the Secretary.
A copy of any relevant application that is held by StudyLink
must be attached to the report. Other supporting documents
may also be attached.
Attachments
In your report, you will refer to documents that will be attached Report Writer
to support StudyLink’s position. Attachments include copies of
original application/s, letters, the file notes, information sent to
the student, the ROD submission and letters.
Each attachment should have an attachment stamp with the
correlating attachment number in the report.
Sign off
The completed report is given to a Service Manager to be Service Manager
checked and signed-off. The Service Manager signs the
check sheet included in the Report to the Secretary.
When signing the check sheet they are confirming that the
correct decision has been made, and all relevant aspects of
the report have been completed.
Administration
One copy of the SAR report and all supporting documents to Report Writer
be made. The copy of the report and original supporting
documents is kept with the Report Writer at StudyLink and the
original review file is sent to the SAR Co-coordinator.
The SAR database is to be updated by the Report Writer
whose case has been referred for a SAR hearing.
Documents to Hearing Co-ordinator
The original SAR report, with the photocopies of all other Report Writer
documents is sent to the Hearing Co-coordinator. You may
also need to email a copy of the report to the Co-ordinator.
Hearing Co-ordinator
The Co-coordinator contacts the student to arrange a date and
time for the hearing and asks if they are going to attend or if
the hearing is to be held on papers only. Once this is Hearing
confirmed, the Co-coordinator makes four or five copies of the Coordinator
report (four if the student is not attending, five if they are).
25
Who forms the SAR panel?
A SAR panel is made up of two staff from MSD, one in the capacity of Secretary, the other in
the capacity of MSD advisor and a NZUSA (New Zealand Union of Students) Advisor.
The role of the NZUSA and MSD advisor is to provide independent advice to the Secretary.
All members of the body are independent of the original decision made by StudyLink.
The Secretary will make the final decision on the review issue.
MSD Presenter’s role
Report Writers undertake the role of MSD Presenter at SAR Hearings.
If the student is attending the hearing, a Ministry presenter will attend. The presenter will
state the Ministry’s position in the hearing. This person is not a member of the Review Panel.
The presenter needs to review the student’s file and summarise the decision the Review
Panel is about to hear. The presenter will need to know the relevant facts, the application of
the relevant legislation, and the Ministry’s initial position on the decision under review.
It is often usual practice for the Ministry to present first to the Review Panel as the Ministry
has written the report. The Review Panel may ask questions. If it is necessary for the
presenter to take leave to source this information, the hearing will need to be adjourned
while this takes place. If the presenter is not the Report Writer, they may need to contact the
Report Writer for this information.
The Hearing is an informal procedure. There is no “right” of cross-examination.
Where the student seeks clarification of the report or aspects of the decision these should be
put to the Ministry presenter to answer. Likewise, in some cases it will be appropriate for the
Ministry presenter to question the student directly or through the Review Panel, particularly if
the student presents new information at the hearing.
The Secretary sets the process and if necessary can set rules for such interchanges
between the student and the Ministry, so long as they comply with the rules of natural
justice.
27
the original decision is correct and part was wrong.
You need to complete the internal review template held in
HIYA. This report is a brief overview of the decision but you
still need to detail the reasons why part of the original decision
was wrong and what the new outcome is and explain why the
other part of the decision was correct. You also need to
outline what legislation governs this decision.
Uphold
Where you have identified that the original decision made by Report Writer
StudyLink was correct.
This report is a brief overview of the decision but you still need
to detail the reasons why the original decision is correct,
outlining what legislation governed it.
Signoff
A Team Leader or Service Manager has delegation to sign off Team Leader
Social Security Act reviews at the internal stage.
Service Manager
The review must be returned to the Report Writer within 48
hours with any feedback about the case/report.
Once an outcome has been agreed, the delegated authority
completes and signs the internal review submission.
Outcome
Once the report has been signed off you must update HIYA Report Writer
and complete the relevant template letter and send this
(without the report) to the student.
You must also notify the database administrator that the
internal review has been completed. If the review is upheld (in
full or part) you must also advise the administrator that the
report to the BRC must be registered in the RWT Database.
System notes
SAL - all contact notes, delay reasons and outcomes will be
recorded here.
HIYA - note, date and time frame any requests for extra
information here as this may affect your timeliness. List delay
reasons. If overturning the decision, add notes here regarding
why an internal review is not required.
CMS - add notes regarding benefit review outcomes.
Add information that is relevant to Work and Income staff.
31
The final copy of the report, supporting documents and letter is
kept (with the substantive decision documents) with the Report
Writer until the final decision by the BRC panel has been made
and the original documentation has been returned to the
Report Writer.
Outcome
Report Writer
Once the outcome is received, the Report Writer must update
the Database Administrator.
If the BRC Panel agrees to hear the substantive issue, the Out
of time BRC is resulted as an overturn decision and the case
progresses to a substantive BRC.
If the BRC Panel decline to hear the substantive issue, the
review is confirmed as a decision uphold, the documents are
batched and notes are left in SAL and CMS.
Debts
If the review is in relation to an overpayment, please remember to recommence
enforcement of the debt.
34
Signoff
Only a Service Manager has delegation to sign off Social Service Manager
Security Act reviews.
The Service Manager must complete and sign the BRC report
and checklist.
The sign off must be returned to the Report Writer within 24
hours with any feedback about the case/report.
Sending
Once the BRC report has been signed off, update HIYA and Report Writer
complete the template letter in HIYA. Five copies of the report
and all attachments must be made.
Three of the copies and the original report with all attachments
are collated and sent to Outreach via trackpak. The trackpak
number is then recorded in HIYA.
One copy of the report including all attachments is sent via
trackpak to the student with the appropriate covering letter
from HIYA. The address for the trackpak must be confirmed
with the student. The BRC letter must be printed on MSD
letterhead and a different Report Writer must sign the letter on
behalf of the Co-ordinator and must check the following details
of the letter:
-
Correct co-ordinator based on region
-
Co-ordinator’s contact details
The final copy of the report, supporting documents and letter is
kept with the Report Writer until the final decision by the BRC
panel has been made and the original documentation has
been returned to the Report Writer. Add notes into SAL.
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