Fed: Job Network urged to sharpen up complaints handling
CANBERRA, Aug 11 AAP - The Job Network service had improved its system for handlingcomplaints but further changes were still needed, a Commonwealth Ombudsman report foundtoday.
The Ombudsman, Professor John McMillan, had been investigating complaints handlingprocesses in the Job Network.
The investigation checked progress made by the Department of Employment and WorkplaceRelations in implementing recommendations made by the Ombudsman in 2001, suggesting improvementsto Job Network complaints handling arrangements.
"The investigation revealed that, while there had been significant positive progressin complaint handling in the department itself, improvements were still required to arrangementsfor complaints made directly to Job Network providers," Professor McMillan reported.
"It is very important to members of the community that standards are not diminishedwhen the government decides to contract out the delivery of services, such as employmentservices," Professor McMillan said.
"A well-designed complaints scheme is integral to maintaining a high quality of service delivery.
"It provides a means of resolving user dissatisfaction, helps identify deficienciesand provides valuable feedback to the department and Job Network providers."
The Job Network is the government's national network of private and community organisationsdedicated to finding jobs for unemployed people.
Labor in recent months has voiced concerns about problems with the Job Network, includinga Tasmanian man who was encouraged to apply for a job as a female prostitute and a middle-agedwoman was urged to seek work as a logging contractor.
Recommendations in the Ombudsman's report include:
* establishment of minimum content requirements and a standard format for providercomplaint registers; and
* review of the department's contract monitoring and quality auditing with a view toimproving consistency across states.
Professor McMillan said he was pleased the department had accepted 10 of the 11 recommendationsarising from the investigation.
He said some of the recommendations had already been incorporated into requirementsunder the new employment services contract, which began in July 2003.
AAP dep/sb/cjm/de
KEYWORD: NETWORK
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