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SOCIAL SECURITY AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (CARING FOR SINGLE PARENTS) BILL 2013

 

 

2010-2011-2012-2013 

 

The Parliament of the 

Commonwealth of Australia 

 

THE SENATE 

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social Security and Other Legislation 

Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) 

Bill 2013 

 

No.      , 2013 

 

(Senator Siewert) 

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act 

1991 and the Fair Work Act 2009, and for related 

purposes 

   

   

 

 

i       Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       

No.      , 2013 

 

Contents 

Short title ........................................................................................... 1

 

Commencement ................................................................................. 1

 

Schedule(s) ........................................................................................ 2

 

Schedule 1--Newstart amendments

 

3

 

Part 1--Newstart amendments

 

3

 

Social Security Act 1991

 

3

 

Part 2--Other amendments

 

5

 

Social Security (Administration) Act 1999

 

5

 

Schedule 2--Work/life balance amendments

 

6

 

Fair Work Act 2009

 

6

 

 

 

 

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013       1 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act 

1991 and the Fair Work Act 2009, and for related 

purposes 

The Parliament of Australia enacts: 

1  Short title 

 

  This Act may be cited as the Social Security and Other Legislation 

Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Act 2013

2  Commencement 

 

  This Act commences on the day after this Act receives the Royal 

Assent. 

10 

   

 

 

2            Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       

No.      , 2013 

 

3  Schedule(s) 

 

  Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or 

repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule 

concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect 

according to its terms. 

 

Newstart amendments  Schedule 1 

 

 

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013            3 

 

Schedule 1

--

Newstart amendments 

Part 1

--

Newstart amendments 

Social Security Act 1991 

1  Point 1068-A1 

(method statement, after "Step 1A")

 

Insert: 

Step 1C.  Work out the newstart single parent supplement amount 

(if any) using Module CA below. 

2  After point 1068-BA4 

Insert: 

Module CA--Newstart single parent supplement amount 

10 

  1068-CA1  A newstart single parent supplement amount is to be added to the 

11 

person's maximum basic rate if: 

12 

(a)

 

the person is qualified for a newstart allowance in respect 

13 

of a period; and 

14 

(b)

 

the person is not a member of a couple; and 

15 

(c)

 

the person is the principal carer for a child. 

16 

  1068-CA2  The person's newstart single parent supplement amount is $80. 

17 

3  Point 1068-G17 

18 

Repeal the point, substitute: 

19 

1068-G17  If: 

20 

(a)

 

a person is receiving a newstart allowance; and 

21 

(b)

 

the person is not a member of a couple; and 

22 

(c)

 

the person is the principal carer of a child: 

23 

then: 

24 

(d)

 

the person's ordinary income free area is $152.00, plus an 

25 

amount of $24.60 in respect of each child for which the 

26 

person is the principal carer; and 

27 

Schedule 1  Newstart amendments 

 

 

4            Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       

No.      , 2013 

 

(e)

 

the person's ordinary income reduction is an amount equal 

to 40% of the person's ordinary income excess. 

 

 

Newstart amendments  Schedule 1 

 

 

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013            5 

 

Part 2

--

Other amendments 

Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 

4  Section 242 

Before "Payments", insert "(1)". 

5  At the end of section 242 

Add: 

 

(2)  Payments for the purposes of the Social Security Legislation 

Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Act 2013 are to be made 

out of money appropriated by the Parliament for the purposes of 

that Act. 

 

10 

Schedule 2  Work/life balance amendments 

 

 

 

6            Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       

No.      , 2013 

 

Schedule 2

--

Work/life balance amendments 

   

Fair Work Act 2009 

1  Paragraph 5(8)(a) 

Omit "or an equal remuneration order (see Part 2-7)", substitute ", an 

equal remuneration order (see Part 2-7) or a flexible working 

arrangements order (see Part 2-7A)". 

2  Section 12 

Insert: 

flexible working arrangements order: see subsection 306F(1). 

10 

3  Subparagraph 43(2)(a)(ii) 

11 

Omit "and", substitute "or". 

12 

4  At the end of paragraph 43(2)(a) 

13 

Add: 

14 

 

(iii)  a flexible working arrangements order (see Part 2-7A); 

15 

and 

16 

5  Subsection 44(2) 

17 

Omit "65(5) or". 

18 

6  Subsection 44(2) (note 1) 

19 

Repeal the note, substitute: 

20 

Note 1: 

Subsection 76(4) states that an employer may refuse an application to 

21 

extend unpaid parental leave only on reasonable business grounds. 

22 

7  Subsection 44(2) (note 2) 

23 

Omit "65(5) or". 

24 

8  Division 4 of Part 2-2 

25 

Repeal the Division. 

26 

9  Section 146 (note) 

27 

Work/life balance amendments 

  Schedule 2 

 

 

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013            7 

 

Omit "65(5) or". 

10  After paragraph 172(1)(c) 

Insert: 

 

(ca)  matters pertaining to flexible working arrangements; 

11  Subsection 186(6) (notes 1 and 2) 

Omit "65(5) or". 

12  After Part 2-7 

Insert: 

Part 2-7A--Flexible working arrangements 

Division 1--Introduction 

10 

306A  Guide to this Part 

11 

This Part provides processes for changing working arrangements. 

12 

Division 1 deals with preliminary matters. 

13 

Division 2 deals with requests for flexible working arrangements 

14 

for employees who are carers. 

15 

Division 3 provides for the making of flexible working 

16 

arrangements orders by FWA to ensure that employers comply 

17 

with this Part. 

18 

306B  Meanings of employee and employer 

19 

 

  In this Part, employee means a national system employee, and 

20 

employer means a national system employer. 

21 

306C  State and Territory laws that are not excluded 

22 

 

(1)  This Act is not intended to apply to the exclusion of laws of a State 

23 

or Territory that provide employee entitlements in relation to 

24 

Schedule 2  Work/life balance amendments 

 

 

 

8            Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       

No.      , 2013 

 

flexible working arrangements, to the extent that those entitlements 

are more beneficial to employees than the entitlements under this 

Part. 

 

(2)  However, a law of a State or Territory has no effect in relation to 

an employee to the extent that it provides an employee entitlement 

in relation to flexible working arrangements that is inconsistent 

with a term of an enterprise agreement that applies to the 

employee. 

306D  Requests for flexible working arrangements--carers 

Request for change for employee who is a carer 

10 

 

(1)  An employee who has responsibility for the care of another person, 

11 

or an employee organisation that is entitled to represent the 

12 

employee, may request the employer to change the employee's 

13 

working arrangements to assist the employee to care for the other 

14 

person. 

15 

Note: 

Examples of changes in working arrangements include changes in 

16 

hours of work, changes in patterns of work and changes in location of 

17 

work. 

18 

 

(2)  Neither the employee, nor the organisation, is entitled to make the 

19 

request unless: 

20 

 

(a)  for an employee other than a casual employee--the employee 

21 

has completed at least 12 months of continuous service with 

22 

the employer immediately before making the request; or 

23 

 

(b)  for a casual employee--the employee: 

24 

 

(i)  is a long term casual employee of the employer 

25 

immediately before making the request; and 

26 

 

(ii)  has a reasonable expectation of continuing employment 

27 

by the employer on a regular and systematic basis. 

28 

Formal requirements 

29 

 

(3)  The request must: 

30 

 

(a)  be in writing; and 

31 

 

(b)  set out details of the change sought and of the reasons for the 

32 

change. 

33 

Work/life balance amendments 

  Schedule 2 

 

 

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013            9 

 

Responding to the request 

 

(4)  The employer must give the employee, or the employee 

organisation (as the case requires), a written response to the request 

within 21 days, stating whether the employer grants or refuses the 

request. 

 

(5)  The employer may refuse the request only on serious 

countervailing business grounds. 

 

(6)  If the employer refuses the request, the written response under 

subsection (4) must include details of the reasons for the refusal. 

Division 3--Flexible working arrangements orders 

10 

306E  FWA may make flexible working arrangements order 

11 

Power to make flexible working arrangements order 

12 

 

(1)  FWA may make any order (the flexible working arrangements 

13 

order) it considers appropriate to ensure that an employer complies 

14 

with section 306E. 

15 

Who may apply for flexible working arrangements order 

16 

 

(2)  FWA may make a flexible working arrangements order only on 

17 

application by any of the following: 

18 

 

(a)  an employee or organisation whose request under subsection 

19 

306E(1) for a change in working arrangements has been 

20 

refused; 

21 

 

(b)  an employee organisation that is entitled to represent an 

22 

employee covered by paragraph (a); 

23 

 

(c)  the Age Discrimination Commissioner, the Disability 

24 

Discrimination Commissioner or the Sex Discrimination 

25 

Commissioner. 

26 

306F  Implementation of flexible working arrangements in stages 

27 

 

  A flexible working arrangements order may implement changed 

28 

working arrangements in such stages (as provided in the order) as 

29 

FWA thinks appropriate. 

30 

Schedule 2  Work/life balance amendments 

 

 

 

10            Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       

No.      , 2013 

 

306G  Contravening a working arrangements order 

 

  An employer must not contravene a term of a flexible working 

arrangements order. 

Note: 

This section is a civil remedy provision (see Part 4-1). 

306H  Inconsistency with modern awards and enterprise agreements 

 

(1)  A term of a modern award has no effect in relation to an employee 

to the extent that it is less beneficial to the employee than a term of 

a flexible working arrangements order that applies to the employee. 

 

(2)  A term of a flexible working arrangements order has no effect in 

relation to an employee to the extent that it is inconsistent with a 

10 

term of an enterprise agreement that applies to the employee. 

11 

13  Subsection 539(2) (after table item 9) 

12 

Insert: 

13 

 

14 

Part 2-7A--Flexible working arrangements 

9A 

306H 

(a) a person to whom 

a flexible working 

arrangements 

order relates; 

(b) an organisation 

entitled to 

represent a person 

to whom a 

flexible working 

arrangements 

order relates 

(a) the Federal Court; 

(b) the Federal 

Magistrates 

Court; 

(c) an eligible State 

or Territory court 

60 penalty 

units 

 

15 

14  Subsection 545(1) (note 4) 

16 

Omit "65(5),". 

17 

15  After paragraph 557(2)(f) 

18 

Insert: 

19 

 

(fa)  section 306H (which deals with contraventions of flexible 

20 

working arrangements orders); 

21 

Work/life balance amendments 

  Schedule 2 

 

 

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013       No.      

, 2013            11 

 

16  After paragraph 576(1)(f) 

Insert: 

 

(fa)  flexible working arrangements (Part 2-7A); 

17  Paragraph 653(1)(c) 

Repeal the paragraph, substitute: 

 

(c)  conduct research into the operation of the provisions of the 

National Employment Standards relating to requests for 

extensions of unpaid parental leave under subsection 76(1); 

and 

 

(ca)  conduct research into the operation of Part 2-7A in relation to 

10 

requests for changed working arrangements; and 

11 

18  After paragraph 675(2)(e) 

12 

Insert: 

13 

 

(ea)  a flexible working arrangements order; 

14 

19  At the end of subsection 716(1) 

15 

Add: 

16 

 

; (g)  a term of a flexible working arrangements order. 

17 

20  Subsection 739(2) 

18 

Omit "65(5) or". 

19 

21  Subsection 739(2) (note) 

20 

Omit "65(5) or". 

21 

22  Subsection 740(2) 

22 

Omit "65(5) or". 

23 

23  Subsection 740(2) (note) 

24 

Omit "65(5) or". 

25 

 

26 

 


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