At the TAC we are here to help you get your life back on track following your transport accident. To assist you to return to work or enter the workforce, we can pay for support while working in a Supported Employment Service (SES). This will help increase your independence at work, build skills, and get paid.

TAC clients with a disability that need support to work can engage with an SES.

An SES is an employer who provides support to an employee while they work. You can access SES providers registered with the Social Service Regulator (SSR). SESs provide a safe environment for people to work within their abilities.

You can speak with your care team to find out how to link in with an SES.

Supported Employment Services will work with you to find a job that interests you and suits your abilities.

TAC client Josh

TAC client Josh has an acquired brain injury, epilepsy and is blind. He lives at home with his parents. Before getting support, he felt lonely and unhappy. He spent most of his days watching television. He avoided socialising because he felt like he didn't have anything to say.

Josh and his family spoke with his TAC claim manager about finding a job that would meet his needs.

Josh needs a workplace that:

• understands his health conditions
• can offer extra support
• modified tasks.

Josh connected with an SES that has a program for people with an acquired brain injury. Through this program, Josh found work that he can do on his own. This has helped him feel proud and confident. He has also made new friends and enjoys talking with them.

Since starting regular work, Josh is happier and feels more connected to his community.

Community group programs (CGP)

Community group programs could be a first step toward employment, developing independence and transferable skills that can be used in employment. CGPs help people with a disability take part in activities within their community and engage with peers.

Find out more about CGP.

What is the Supported Employment Service?

The SES supports a person with a disability to engage in and maintain employment. SES providers must be registered with the SSR.

An SES will find suitable work depending on individual skills and needs. They will offer tasks suited to each person’s abilities and modify work tasks if necessary. There will be someone available to support employees while they work. There is a variety of supports available, such as, visual task checklists and help concentrating to complete tasks.

An individual employment support plan will ensure the best work and support is offered. The employment support plan is provided to the TAC for approval of the agreed level of supports.

What is a Supported Employment Service?

A Supported Employment Service is an organisation that:

• employs people with disabilities in a supported working environment
• helps support people to prepare to work in open employment
• offers a diverse range of roles and employment opportunities such as gardeners, cleaners, store people, recyclers, screen printers, cooks and caterers
• provides services and products within a commercial context

To find out more about SES, including the type of work they offer and their locations, please visit SSR list.

How to engage with an SES?

If you would like to find a job through an SES, we will work with you to identify suitable options. The TAC can pay for the SES when the support is needed following a transport accident injury.

Supported employment can be approved for up to 40 hours a week and will be approved in writing by the TAC.

It is important that the chosen SES can meet your needs and assist with your specific goals.

How much is paid for your work?

After a trial and training period, the SES, which is your employer, will organise to have a wage assessment completed to determine how much you will be paid for your work. Your wages will be reviewed every 12 months and may be changed as part of that review.

For more information about wage assessments, please speak the SES where you are considering working.

Will supported employment wages affect other payments?

If you receive the Disability Support Pension, the SES will tell you if your supported employment wages will affect your Disability Support Pension entitlements. The SES will also support you to communicate with government agencies like Centrelink about your supported employment.

If you are receiving TAC benefits for loss of earnings (LOE) or loss of earnings capacity (LOEC), your support coordinator will have information about the effects your wages may have on your LOE or LOEC benefits. If you are severely injured, you can earn $204 per week before there is an impact on your LOEC benefits. This amount is updated on 1 July each year.

What is not covered?

The TAC will not pay for attendant care to assist you to take part in supported employment unless a significant level of personal care is required at the workplace.

What other support is available?

The TAC can consider paying for other supports and services to assist you to return to work or enter the workforce.

This may include:

• equipment needed in the workplace
• travel to the Supported Employment Service
• retraining to help you prepare to work in open employment
• vocational services to support you to transition to open employment

Please contact the TAC to learn more about how we can help you with support related to work.

For providers

If you are an Australian Disability Enterprise, please refer to our Supported Employment Service (SES) guidelines for circumstances in which you can provide services to TAC clients.

All Australian Disability Service providers must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

The requirements outlined in the policy and provider guidelines for each service type must be adhered to as part of TAC’s provider registration requirements.

At the TAC we are here to help you get your life back on track following your transport accident. To assist you to return to work or enter the workforce, we can pay for you to have support while working in an Australian Disability Enterprise workplace. This will enable you to increase your independence in a work environment and develop new skills.

What is the Supported Employment Service?

The Supported Employment Service is provided within an Australian Disability Enterprise to support a person with disability to engage in and maintain their employment.

An Australian Disability Enterprise can find the right work tasks for you, modify work tasks (if needed) and have someone support you (or available to support you) while you work. There can be many different kinds of support. For example, you could have a visual checklist of your tasks or get help with your concentration to complete tasks. An individual employment support plan is created with you to make sure the work and support is right for you. The employment support plan is then provided to the TAC by the ADE for approval of the agreed level of supports.

What is an Australian Disability Enterprise?

An Australian Disability Enterprise is an organisation that:

• employs people with disabilities in a supported working environment
• helps support people to prepare to work in open employment
• offers a diverse range of roles and employment opportunities such as gardeners, store people, recyclers, screen printers, cooks, caterers or hospitality
• provides services and products within a commercial context

To find out more about Australian Disability Enterprises, including the type of work they offer and their locations, please visit the NDIS Provider Finder click the registration group ‘specialised supported employment’, you may also refer to the BuyAbility website.

How do we approve these services?

If you would like to find a job through the Supported Employment Service, we will work with you to identify suitable options. The TAC can pay for the supported employment service when the support is needed because of a transport accident injury. Supported employment can be approved for up to 40 hours a week and will be approved in writing by the TAC.

You can talk to your TAC coordinator or a member of your support team about working in supported employment or you may prefer to directly contact an Australian Disability Enterprise in your local area to find out more. If supported employment has been approved, the next step is to identify and link you with an Australian Disability Enterprise. An Australian Disability Enterprise can be identified by:

• you
• your TAC support coordinator
• an occupational therapist or vocational provider
• other members of your support team

It is important that the chosen Australian Disability Enterprise can meet your needs and assist with your specific goals.

How much is paid for your work?

After a trial and training period, the Australian Disability Enterprise, which is your employer, will organise to have a wage assessment completed to determine how much you will be paid for your work. Your wages will be reviewed every 12 months and may be changed as part of that review. For more information about wage assessments, please speak with your TAC coordinator or to the Australian Disability Enterprise where you are considering working.

Will other payments received be affected by supported employment wages?

If you receive the Disability Support Pension, the Australian Disability Enterprise will tell you if your supported employment wages will have any impact on your Disability Support Pension entitlements. The Australian Disability Enterprise will also support you with your communication with government agencies like Centrelink about your supported employment.

If you are receiving TAC benefits for loss of earnings (LOE) or loss of earnings capacity (LOEC), your support coordinator will talk to you about any changes that your wages may have on your LOE or LOEC benefits. If you are severely injured, you can earn $210 per week before there is an impact on your LOEC benefits. This amount is updated on 1 July each year.

What is not covered?

The TAC will not pay for attendant care to assist you to take part in supported employment unless a significant level of personal care is required at the workplace.

What other support is available?

The TAC can consider paying for other supports and services to assist you with returning to work or entering the workforce. These may include:

• equipment needed in the workplace
• travel to the Supported Employment Service
• retraining to help you prepare to work in open employment
• vocational services to support you to transition to open employment

Please contact the TAC to learn more about how we can help you with support related to work.

For providers

If you are an Australian Disability Enterprise, please refer to our Supported Employment Service Guidelines for circumstances in which you can provide services to TAC clients.

All Australian Disability Service providers must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

The requirements outlined in the policy and provider guidelines for each service type must be adhered to as part of TAC’s provider registration requirements.