Information for supported employment agents
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Mainstream Employment Programme placement process
What do I do first?
If you have a client who you think would benefit from the Mainstream Employment Programme, please work through the following steps. If you have any questions, e-mail us on the e-mail address below or phone Work and Income on 0800 559 009 and ask for your local contact on the Mainstream Employment Programme.
The placement process
STEP 1
Contact your local Work and Income Service Centre to discuss your client's eligibility for Mainstream, or phone 0800 559 009.
Key points
The criteria for eligibiliy are listed below.
The Mainstream Employment Programme is for disabled people with significant disadvantages in terms of ability to compete on the open labour market.
STEP 2
Once you have been advised that your client is eligible for the Mainstream Employment Programme you can approach eligible State sector employers to negotiate a suitable placement for the Mainstream candidate.
Key points
The Mainstream candidate does not negotiate the placement. This is the role of the supported employment agent or the Work and Income staff member.
It is important to check the list of eligible employing organisations below before approaching State sector employers, as the list can change.
You'll need to contact Work and Income to see which schools are eligible for Mainstream placements.
STEP 3
Once you have negotiated a position, complete the Job Proposal form with the employer, and post it to your Work and Income contact person, or deliver it in person. When all the necessary information is received, Work and Income will notify you, the Mainstream candidate, and the employer of the agreed date.
Key points
Your Work and Income contact person allocates the start date and notifies all parties.
See the roles and responsibilities for your on-going role throughout the placement.
STEP 4
Work and Income then sends the Mainstream Subsidy Agreement to the employer for signing. You receive a copy of the Agreement.
STEP 5
Once the signed Agreement is returned to Work and Income, the Mainstream candidate becomes a participant. Work and Income sends a new participant package to the participant, their new supervisor and their placement specialist confirming the placement and providing relevant resources.
Key point
The employing organisation treats the Mainstream participant as any other employee. Work and Income arranges to reimburse the participant's salary to the employer on receipt of claim forms.
STEP 6
You and your agency are required to provide ongoing support to the Mainstream participant. Mainstream participants and direct supervisors are required to attend Mainstream Employment Programme induction workshops. Training about Mainstream is also available to supported employment agents.
Key points
Induction workshops for Mainstream participants and direct supervisors are mandatory.
You are also required to participate in the Placement Progress Reviews periodically held by Work and Income contact person, and keep Work and Income informed of any significant changes to the placement.
General eligibility criteria and checklist
Candidates for the Mainstream Employment Programme must have a disability that severely restricts their employment prospects. Additional factors resulting in a significant employment disadvantage may also be taken into consideration.
Disability is defined as limitation resulting from impairment to:
- vision
- hearing
- physical agility
- intellect
- psychological functioning
- learning.
The impairment must have been present for at least six months and be expected to last at least four years. If a corrective device (e.g. hearing aid or glasses) completely eliminates the limitation, Mainstream does not consider the candidate eligible.
The term "significant disadvantage" means people who:
- have a significant congenital or acquired impairment or impairments
- have significant barriers to employment
- would not gain a position within the State sector on merit.
Additional factors may be taken into consideration when assessing candidate eligibility, such as:
- limited access to education
- late onset of disability requiring total re-training
- limited access to employment opportunities due to geographical isolation.
Entry to the Mainstream Employment Programme is restricted to people with disabilities who:
- meet the eligibility criteria in respect to significant impairment
- are sixteen years of age or over
- are New Zealand citizens or permanent residents (that is, not be in New Zealand unlawfully or here on a temporary permit)
- are ordinarily resident in New Zealand
People who have had paid employment for more than 15 hours per week in the previous 6 months would not normally qualify unless employed with a wage exemption from the Department of Labour or employed under Taskforce Green or Community Max.
Admission to the Mainstream Employment Programme is also dependent upon availability of funding. Work and Income is not obliged to admit participants to the programme on a "first come first served" basis but may target particular participants. This will ensure that people with the least access to employment opportunities will benefit most.
To find out if your client is eligible, contact Work and Income. You can use the checklist below as a guideline as to the information you will need to provide about your client.
A candidate's eligibility must be confirmed before a placement is sought.
Mainstream Privacy Statement
When applying for the Mainstream Employment Programme, the candidate will need to sign a Mainstream Privacy Statement so that their details can be disclosed to potential employers and other relevant parties.
Research has shown that disclosure of a person's disability and its impact in the workplace has a significant bearing on the success or otherwise of the Programme.
This form replaces the Disclosure form from our previous system.
Organisations eligible for Mainstream placements
Once you have received confirmation of your client's eligibility, you can begin to negotiate a placement with an eligible employer. Not all government departments are eligible - they must have a staff of at least thirty.
Check below for the list of eligible organisations.
Some schools are also eligible for Mainstream placements. As well as the standard criteria for all placements, Mainstream placements in schools can only be made:
- in schools with a minimum roll of 400;
- in non-teaching positions - not teacher or teacher aide positions.
Contact your Work and Income contact person to find out which schools are eligible.
Job Proposal Form
The Job Proposal form combines the Job Proposal form and the Placement Application form or Start Date application form from our previous system. It should be completed by the employer with your input.
Once your client has confirmed eligibility and a job description:
- Complete the Job Proposal Form with the employer.
- Post a hard copy to Work and Income contact person, or deliver it in person.
Ongoing role of the supported employment agent
When a successful placement is underway, the supported employment agent's ongoing role is to work with the Work and Income contact person in:
- making sure participants and supervisors attend Mainstream Induction training
- helping participants and supervisors to apply for training funding
- helping participants and supervisors work out which Cost of Disability in Employment (CODE) requirements they may have
- meeting with the participant, supervisor and Work and Income contact person to complete the Placement Progress Reviews
- ongoing support
- encouraging the participant to attend the second-year workshop
- helping the participant plan for future employment options.
Cost of Disability in Employment (CODE) Funding
The Mainstream CODE Funding Application form must be completed by the participant and/or their supported employment agent in consultation with the direct supervisor.
If a worker with a disability needs special resources to help them do their job, CODE funding can help.
The employer of a Mainstream participant must provide the participant with the same equipment available to its other employees, and make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the participant's disability. However, the significant impairments of Mainstream participants sometimes means they need additional support, including specialised equipment.
For more information on CODE funding, go to the participant page (link below).
To be sure of a positive result for the application,
- discuss it with the Work and Income contact person before submitting it
- make sure you include all the relevant information at the time of application.
Under section 12J of the Social Security Act there is no right of review of funding decisions.
Training Assistance Information and Application Forms
Mainstream training assistance for participants
Mainstream training assistance of up to $4,000 (including GST) may be granted during the placement.
Training funded by the Mainstream Employment Programme must be additional to that provided by the employer. Funding for on-the-job training is the responsibility of the employer.
Appropriate training must either enhance the participant’s employment prospects or meet his or her individual disability needs. Studies outside of these parameters will not be funded.
The training sought must be either vocational in nature, that is, likely to enhance the participant's future employment prospects, or specifically designed to meet his or her individual disability needs. Studies which are merely of interest and not relevant to current or future employment options will not be funded.
There is more information on the participant page (link below).
Mainstream training assistance for supervisors
Training in performance management or disability equity for supervisors of Mainstream participants may also be funded by Mainstream. The training should enhance the participant’s employment prospects, by improving the supervisor’s coaching and mentoring skills, or knowledge of disability issues.
There is more information on the employer page.
To be sure of a positive result for your Mainstream training assistance application,
- discuss it with the Work and Income contact person before submitting it
- make sure you include all the relevant information at the time of application.
Under section 12J of the Social Security Act there is no right of review of funding decisions.
There is only one application form for both participant and supervisor training assistance.
Placement Progress Reviews
Placement Progress Reviews (PPRs) are used to make sure the placement is going well. They also alert your Work and Income contact person to any issues that need to be addressed. Reviews are carried out at intervals during the placement.
- Work and Income will request your participation in the review process at one, six, 12 and 18 months.
- The reviews are a chance for you, the Work and Income contact person, the participant and the supervisor talk about the placement together, and to iron out any issues. They are also a time to plan for the participant's future.
- The questions are a prompt to make sure everything is on track, and the participant is heading towards sustainable employment.
- If uncomfortable talking in front of the supervisor or the supported employment agent, the participant can contact their Work and Income contact person directly to discuss any of the issues in private.
- Please note there is only one Placement Progress Review form, to be used at regular intervals throughout the placement.
- Work and Income completes the template and gives you and the participant a copy.
