Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 141A

Refusal or failure to attend activation meetings relating to jobseeker's allowance

Section 141A sets out the procedure for issuing notices to jobseeker's allowance recipients requiring them to attend activation meetings or assessments, and the escalating consequences if they refuse or fail to comply without good cause.

• The Minister may issue a notice requiring a jobseeker's allowance recipient to attend an information meeting about employment, work experience, education and training opportunities, or to undergo an assessment of their education, training or development needs.
• Failure to comply without good cause results in the weekly allowance being reduced to a lower rate as set out in section 142(1A) or, where applicable, section 142A(1A).
• If non-compliance continues for at least 21 days at the reduced rate, a further notice may be issued, and continued failure to comply without good cause may lead to complete disqualification from jobseeker's allowance for up to 9 weeks.
• After any period of disqualification expires, these provisions may be reapplied from the beginning if the person continues to refuse or fail to comply without good cause following a fresh notice.