Employment

What employment supports are not NDIS supports?

The employment system is responsible for employment services and programs. This includes general employment services for all Australians such as Workforce Australia, and disability-specific employment services such as Disability Employment Services .

For example, employment services provide advice and support for people with disability to prepare for, find and maintain jobs.

The employment system also helps employers hire and include people with disability in the workplace. This includes:

support, training and resources
funding assistance to make reasonable adjustments , such as workplace equipment through the Employment Assistance Fund
incentives to hire people with a disability, such as wage subsidies.

Employers are responsible for work-specific support related to your recruitment, your job arrangements, and your workplace environment. This includes:

training and induction when you start a new job
workplace modifications and workplace equipment that allows you to do your job, including those funded by the Employment Assistance Fund
transport within work activities
workplace support to follow disability discrimination laws, such as reasonable adjustments.

Government-funded employment programs, including Disability Employment Services and Workforce Australia
Support from employers to ensure accessible recruitment processes, work arrangements and transport for you within work activities
Things your employer needs to do to comply with employment laws, including reasonable adjustments so you have the same opportunities as other Australians to get a job, get promoted and be treated fairly at work
Reasonable adjustments so you can access your workplace and perform your job, including assistive products and workplace modifications
Employment programs to provide advice and support to job seekers with disability to find and keep a job
General employment-related planning and support, including support to transition to work and ongoing support once you have a job, when you’re largely independent once you’re in employment. These programs could be from both disability-targeted and open employment services.
Work specific aids and equipment you need for your disability to perform your work tasks, including modified hardware and software
Employment programs to encourage and assist employers to hire people with disability, and make their workplace inclusive for people with disability. For example, support, training and resources, funding assistance for reasonable adjustments, and incentives for hiring people with disability such as wage subsidies
Help to coordinate the supports you get that are related to employment
Short-term therapy support where the main purpose is for employment, sometimes provided by an employment program such as Disability Employment Services

What are we responsible for?

NDIS supports you need for your daily life whether you’re working, looking for work or not looking for work
Personal care and support in the workplace, such as help to go to the toilet, or eat and drink while you’re at work
Transport support to and from work, if you can’t use public transport without great difficulty due to your disability
NDIS supports you need on a regular and ongoing basis to help you find and keep a job. We may fund these supports if you’re able to work, but are unlikely to find or keep a job, even with an employment service
NDIS supports to transition to work, when you need extra support compared to other Australians because of your disability. This includes training about workplace relationships, communication skills, wearing the right clothes, getting to work on time, and travelling to and from work

Remember, NDIS supports must meet all the NDIS funding criteria before we can include them in your plan.

Capacity-building supports to help you learn about work and get work-ready – for example communication supports, travel training, and learning how to work in a team or follow instructions
Supports to help you work out what kind of job you want and build your confidence to work, for example by arranging on-the-job experience
Support to plan and coordinate your NDIS supports with the supports you receive from your employment service
Assistive technology related to your functional needs, such as a wheelchair
Personal care supports at work, such as help to eat, drink or go to the toilet
Help to prepare you for active job seeking, including information, career planning and linking you with the mainstream support from Disability Employment Services
On-the-job support once you get a job, if you’re unlikely to keep your job even with an employment service
Occupational therapist assessments to see how your disability affects how you work and to help you become more productive
Extra on-the-job training and support with your work tasks that you need because of your disability, when you need more support than what you can get through reasonable adjustments or a Disability Employment Service. For example, extra support to help you manage your behaviour or complex needs at work

Example

Jin is about to start a new job. Jin’s new office will need some modifications, such as a modified workstation and chair, so they can do the job safely. Jin will also need support to get ready and to travel to work each day.

The employment system should provide any reasonable adjustments that Jin needs while at work. This includes any aids and workplace equipment, through the Employment Assistance Fund, which will help Jin to do their job.

Disability Employment Services should provide Jin and the employer with advice or support needed to help prepare for the new job. Disability Employment Services will continue to support both Jin and the employer for as long as is needed once Jin starts work.

We may fund NDIS supports that help Jin learn or keep their new job if the support is more than what Disability Employment Services should provide. This could include support to learn the job and to be productive.

We may fund a support worker to help Jin get dressed and ready for work each day. And we may fund training for Jin to support them to travel to and from work independently. In the longer term, we may support Jin to learn new skills and progress their career.

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