Processing of Applications
Dale Smith made this Official Information request to Ministry of Social Development
The request was partially successful.
From: Dale Smith
Dear Ministry of Social Development,
I would like to request the following information:
The process that decides whether an individual employed under the definition of a "client-facing role" will immediately action papers handed to them, or whether this is given to a processor to complete
Information held on applications that are expected by the Ministry to be completed at the time of meeting with the client (e.g. Disability Allowance review, Special Needs Grant application) and applications that are expected to go to a processor.
Any plans the department have to allow for all applications, if complete, to be processed within 24 hours.
Yours faithfully,
Dale Smith
From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development
Tçnâ koe Dale Smith
Thank you for your email received 09 December 2020, under the Official
Information Act 1982. Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate
officials at National Office to respond. You can expect a decision as soon
as reasonably practicable, and in any case not later than 20 working days
after the day on which the request was received.
Please be advised that within the standard 20 working days the following
days are not counted as working days:
1. 25 December 2020 – 15 January 2021 – Summer Holidays
2. 2 January 2021 – Day after New year’s Day
Nâ mâtou noa, nâ
Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and
Executive Services
Ministry of Social Development
Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to help themselves to be safe, strong and
independent
Ko ta mâtou he whakamana tangata kia tû haumaru, kia tû kaha, kia tû
motuhake
------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------
From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development
Dear Dale Smith
On 9 December 2020, you emailed the Ministry of Social Development (the
Ministry) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act),
the following information:
o The process that decides whether an individual employed under the
definition of a "client-facing role" will immediately action papers
handed to them, or whether this is given to a processor to complete
o Information held on applications that are expected by the Ministry to
be completed at the time of meeting with the client (e.g. Disability
Allowance review, Special Needs Grant application) and applications
that are expected to go to a processor.
o Any plans the department have to allow for all applications, if
complete, to be processed within 24 hours.
The Ministry is struggling to determine what is specifically being
requested. It appears as though your request relates to all staff and all
paperwork received by Ministry staff members from external sources, which
would be a request that is very broad in scope. As such, the request could
be likely to be refused under section 18(f) of the Official Information
Act as substantial manual collation would be required to provide the
information requested. As such, I would like to obtain more information
from you in order to potentially refine the scope of your request so that
we are able to provide the information you are seeking. Please could you
confirm the following informaiton:
o Could staff with a ‘client facing role’ be limited to just be for
information relating to applications received by case managers? It is
likely that we could provide information relating to case managers
only, rather than all call centre staff, Work and Income office staff
etc.
o Is there a specific type of application you are interested in? You
meants Special Needs Grants and Disability Allowance. Could we perhaps
limit the informaiton to them? Or would there be a separate/further
process that you are interested in?
The more information that you could provide would help us to determine the
scope of the request.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding the refinement of your
request.
Yours sincerely
Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services
Ministry of Social Development
Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.
------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------
From: Dale Smith
Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),
Thank you for your reply. To clarify:
By 'client-facing role' I mean specifically roles that were classified as such under the Client-Facing Role Review undertaken over the 2019 period, namely Case Managers, Customer Service Representatives and any subsidiary of these roles such as an Integrated Services Case Manager but not inclusive of roles such as Work Brokers or Programme Coordinators (as they were left out of the CFRR and given a subsequent role review later in time).
I am interested in all types of applications for which there is a paper form that also relates in a financial claim (so Disability Allowance, Accommodation Supplement would be, but Redirection of Benefit Payment or Appointment of Agent applications would not be included), except for Main Benefit applications (Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support and Supported Living Payment). There are many factors to consider for these applications as well. Some applications appear to be allowed to be handed in and processed by reception. Some applications require an appointment and a client is directed either by the contact centre or service centre staff to come back at another time and some applications are considered urgent and even though they may require an appointment, the client is advised to take a seat and the next available case manager will see them.
The main reason behind my request is that there appear to be discrepancies in how these are handled and it would be good to know if this information exists and what the guidance given to client-facing staff is as to determine what clients can expect or whether the perception that it is who you get on the day, where you go and how busy that office has been as to what the outcome in timeliness is.
If you have any further questions or advice I look forward to engaging with you. Thank you for your time.
Yours sincerely,
Dale Smith
From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development
Tēnā koe Dale Smith
Please find attached a letter advising of the need to extend the time
available to make a decision on your OIA request received 09 December 2020
until 23 February 2021.
Nā mātou noa, nā
Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services
Ministry of Social Development
Our purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.
------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------
From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development
Tçnâ koe Dale Smith
Please find attached the Ministry’s response to your Official Information
Act request.
Nâ mâtou noa, nâ
Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and
Executive Services
Ministry of Social Development
Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whânau.
------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------
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