Issue 112
28 July 2008
On 21 July 2008 the recipients of the Business Services Excellence Awards were acknowledged by the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services at the National Disability Services Employment Forum in Brisbane.
The award recipients were delighted when Queensland Governor, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, assisted in presenting the awards.
The recipients of the Business Services Excellence Awards were:
Innovation Award
Small Business - Devonfield Enterprises
Large Business - Bedford Industries (Abilities for All)
Partnership Award
Small Business - Valmar Support Services (Pinecom Recycling)
Large Business - Endeavour Foundation (Bundaberg Business Service)
Achievement Award
Small Business - S.A. Group Enterprises (Inprint Design)
Large Business - Australian Red Cross Society Queensland
Supported Employees Team Award
Small Business - Windgap Foundation Limited
Large Business - Barkuma Incorporated
Support Workers Team Award
Small Business - Outlook Victoria
Large Business - Activ Business Services (Geraldton)
Congratulations to all services that submitted nominations! We received an overwhelming response and would like to thank each organisation for making the Business Services Excellence Awards a success.
More information on the Business Services Excellence Awards recipients can be found on the FaHCSIA website.
[ top ]
The Australian Government launched the new DIY Marketing Kit, which has been developed specifically for managers and staff of Business Services, at the National Disability Services Employment Forum in Brisbane on Tuesday 22 July.
The aim of the kit is to help Business Service managers juggle the marketing side of their demanding role, assisting them to increase the viability of their commercial enterprise and continue to succeed in today’s highly competitive marketplace. The kit is designed as an easy reference guide, so managers can select the resources most useful to their particular circumstances and easily adapt them to meet their individual needs.
Strategic marketing is core business for successful Business Services, however there is no ‘one size fits all’ marketing solution. Business Services are a diverse group that have many different marketing needs and varying levels of expertise and resources. As a result, the kit provides a wide range of marketing information and processes relevant to some extent to all Business Services. There are also more than 30 easy-to-use guides, tools and tips.
The DIY Marketing Kit can be accessed through the Literature tab on FOFMS. To access the file please take the following steps.
The steps may change slightly depending on the operating system you use. For further information refer to the instructions on FOFMS.
[ top ]
In July 2008 the Australian Fair Pay Commission increased the standard Federal Minimum Wage (FMW) and all Australian Pay and Classification Scales (Pay Scales).
The decision takes effect from the first pay period on or after 1 October 2008.
Due to this decision and the date of effect, the timeframe for completion of all weekly wage and hours fields in FOFMS has been extended to 15 November 2008. This extension will allow business services to ‘hold-off’ on processing this data until after 1 October and therefore reduce having to re enter the wage and hours fields again.
It is still necessary for business services to enter the information before a DMI is completed and authorised, but on all other cases the 15 November 2008 deadline will apply.
If you require any further information, please contact the Case Based Funding helpdesk on 1800 034 887 or email Case Based Funding Helpdesk.
[ top ]
In the last issue of disability e-news we provided some advice about when to suspend a case on FOFMS. A number of you have requested further advice about the timing of suspensions and the difference between knowing and not knowing when a supported employee will return to work.
The importance of timing is underpinned by the funding agreement. Paragraph 16.5 of the Additional Procedures and Information of the DEA Funding Agreement states:
“When activities cannot be provided to a supported employee for any reason and for a period which you reasonably expect to be:
a) longer than one month but less than 12 months (or two years if accessing open employment), then the supported employee must be suspended by you, immediately when you become aware that the supported employee will not require ongoing activities…”
The key words here are ‘when you become aware’ and this knowledge will determine the timing of suspending the case on FOFMS.
When you become aware that a supported employee will be absent for a period that is greater than one month (two months for Christmas shutdown, workers’ compensation, sick leave and maternity leave) then you must immediately suspend the case on FOFMS. We consider immediately to be on the day that you become aware. If you delay this, any extra payments made to you because of the delay may be recovered.
You may be made aware prior to such an absence by letter, conversation with the employee or their carer or advice from a medical practitioner. In this instance you should suspend the case in FOFMS no later than the supported employee’s last day of work.
There are of course circumstances where you may not be made aware of an absence greater than one or two months. In such cases it is best to wait until whichever of the following comes first:
a) you are advised of the period of absence
b) the allowed timeframe of one month (or two for special circumstances outlined above) has elapsed.
The Department recognises that sometimes supported employees don’t make contact or can give mixed messages about their return. Thus, in these circumstances business services are given some leeway before being required to suspend the case on FOFMS.
You must retain evidence on file of any advice that a supported employee will be absent and any attempts you have made to contact them. This includes if a supported employee is absent due to worker’s compensation, sick leave or maternity leave.
If you require any further information, please contact the Case Based Funding helpdesk on 1800 034 887 or email Case Based Funding Helpdesk.
[ top ]
The Lawn & Garden Group was formed to identify the best practices used to achieve financial viability in the gardening industry. The group is made up of nineteen Business Services in NSW and Victoria.
After a series of meetings, the group identified a number of issues for investigation that were relevant to Business Services. An ‘Operations Manual’ was then developed based on the group’s findings. Topics covered in the manual include:
A copy of the Lawn & Garden Group Operations Manual can be found on the National Disability Services website.
[ top ]
Email disAbility e-news if you'd like more information on a particular issue or program in disAbility e-news or to let us know what you think of the newsletter.
[ top ]
Your contributions to disAbility e-news are welcome. Do you want to let others know about your successes? Or how you engage with local businesses to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities? Email your story idea to disAbility e-news.
[ top ]