9.12.2 Using Job Placement or Employment Agencies

In the development of a rehabilitation plan, a rehabilitation service provider may recommend the use of an employment placement agency to assist a client to secure an appropriate and sustainable employment outcome.

A number of rehabilitation service provider organisations employ their own job placement specialists.

Referral to an external job placement agency should only be considered where the rehabilitation service provider does not employ their own job placement specialist, or the particular job goals of a client will benefit from specialist industry-related services.  For example, where a client's job goal is to work in the mining industry, a recruitment agency which specialises in mining industry placements could be considered.

The use of such agencies can be recorded on a rehabilitation plan as a third party resource, where the client's rehabilitation service provider's organisation does not have the required skilled personnel to undertake this activity without outside assistance.

It is important to note that while some organisations offer this as a no-fee service, other agencies may invoice the employer for placing a client with them or the employment placement agency fee may be charged to the rehabilitation plan as a third party rehabilitation activity cost.

Engaging an employment placement agency should be considered in the following circumstances where:

• a client is hesitant about re-entering the workforce;
• other job-placement options have been unsuccessful;
• a client resides in a 'high unemployment' area;
• the client does not have the capacity to undertake this activity without specialist assistance;
• the client has an uncommon skill set; and/or
• the client has severe or complex disabilities.

For clients with severe or complex disabilities there are specialist employment placement agencies.  For example, Scope (previously known as Disability Services Australia) has a supported employment branch.

A range of other specialist employment agencies operate to assist with the placement of clients in specific types of employment and in broad industry groupings, such as health, hospitality, mining, building and construction, retailing, computing and light industry.  Some of these services also assist in providing placement for entry-level training, such as apprenticeships and traineeships.  The range and coverage of these type of services vary from state to state and within regions.  Rehabilitation service providers should be aware of the services available in their local area.

The use of external job placement agencies should be considered as an option for MRCA, DRCA and VVRS cases.

The timeframe set for the use of job placement agencies on a rehabilitation plan should be short-term (e.g. 4-6 weeks) and closely monitored by the rehabilitation service provider and reported on to the Rehabilitation Coordinator in the normal monthly progress reporting cycle.