Employment Separation Certificate

Employment Separation Certificate

This document certifies employment information. Please read the information on page 2 before completing this form.

1. Employee details

2. Reason for separation

3. Has a claim been made, or is a claim likely to be made, for workers compensation?

4. What was/is the person's final gross payment including leave and redundancy payments?

5. Did you pay (in the last 12 months), or will you pay the person, any unused leave entitlements or final gross redundancy payments on termination?

6. If the person was paid a redundancy payment, in lieu of notice or gratuity, what was the person's average gross weekly wage? (see page 2 – Definition)

7. In the last 12 months, did this person cash in any leave entitlements for money before finishing work?

8. Employer details

Please note: Personal information is protected by law and can be given to someone else only in special circumstances, where Commonwealth legislation requires or where you give permission. Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence.

Former employees please see important information on the back of this form.

Information for Former Employees

If you do not have another job to go to and you want to claim a Centrelink payment you will need to:

• call Centrelink on 13 1021 to make an appointment

• visit your local Centrelink Office

• visit our website at www.centrelink.gov.au

The date of the first contact with Centrelink regarding your new claim is very important as it may be your first date of entitlement to a payment.

Note: Your payments may be delayed for the following reasons:

If you have been paid, or are entitled to be paid, a redundancy payment or leave entitlements such as annual leave, long service leave, sick leave or maternity leave, you may not be paid by Centrelink for a period equal to that covered by the leave payments that you received.

You may also have a waiting period depending on the amount of liquid assets (e.g. money, shares) you have available.

Remember: You should contact Centrelink as soon as possible once you cease employment.

Note: Calls to '13' numbers from a standard phone service can be made from anywhere within Australia for the cost of a local call. Calls to '18' numbers from public and mobile phones may be charged at a higher rate.

To speak to Centrelink in languages other than English, call 13 1202.

Information for Employers

What are Employment Separation Certificates?

Employment Separation Certificates are needed by Centrelink to enable a person to claim income support payments. You should provide a certificate to an employee if requested. The information contained in the Employment Separation Certificate is used to ensure that correct payments are made to customers.

This notice is given under either section 196 (if received from Centrelink) or 199 (if received from a former employee) of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and allows a former employee or Centrelink to obtain this information.

Thank you for taking the time to fill in this form. We appreciate your co-operation in answering these questions and returning the form to the employee for return to Centrelink within 14 days of being given this form.

All the information contained in, or attached to, this report may be subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) to any person(s) (including those named in either the report or its attachments). If you want any of this information treated in confidence, please attach a statement indicating which information, and give your reasons. This will then be considered if a request is made under the FOI Act.

What exactly are Employment Separation Certificates used for?

They are used to ensure that only eligible people get paid an income support payment and that they are paid the right amount from the correct date. This means we have to know all of the information on the other side of this form, such as when the person ceased employment.

How can I get more Employment Separation Certificates?

• photocopy the Employment Separation Certificate on the other side and ensure that you place your stamp on the photocopy

• provide all the required information in a letter on your company letterhead

• call 1300 367 676 or 13 1158, to obtain further copies of this form

• print the copy of this form from Centrelink’s web site at www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/businesses/emp_sep_cert.htm

How can I make enquiries about Employment Separation Certificates?

Centrelink provides a direct service to employers through its Business Hotline. The Hotline staff will answer any further questions you may have about the Employment Separation Certificate. The Centrelink Employer Hotline is also your first point of contact for any other information you may require about Centrelink in the future. The direct phone number to the Hotline is 13 1158 or fax 13 2115.

Superannuation Guarantee

Employers have obligations to pay superannuation for eligible employees and some contractors. For further information visit www.ato.gov.au or call the Australian Taxation Office on 13 10 20.

Definitions

Average gross weekly wage: This is usually contained in the industrial instrument that applies to that workplace (i.e. the appropriate award, workplace agreement or common law contract). Some workplaces include regular overtime and allowance as part of their average weekly wage.

ETP – Eligible Termination payment: Only certain payments paid to an employee on termination of employment are ETPs. These payments are taxed differently from other kinds of payments made on termination of employment.