Centrelink tid bit #1

Wed 29 July:

So, given how long it took to catch up last fortnight, we decided to keep ahead this time. So I've got three applications done already and I've sent Dave the details of two jobs to apply for, so that's all good.

As you may know (or not), each set of forms covers a fortnight and has to be handed in on the last day of the fortnight - or else. So if you actually work on that day and you have flexible hours, you need to estimate how long you're likely to work, as you probably haven't completed that block of work when you're handing the forms in. Sounds ok - we can do this. So we overestimate Dave's likely working hours when we hand the form in, as the woman taking the form says that if we underestimate it, that will raise a debt - which is bad. So she enters the time on the forms and advises us to ring up the following day and get the figure adjusted down. OK - that's all really clear. Now, the time we put on was 15.33 hours, assuming Dave was unlikely to work more than 5 hours on his shift. He actually worked 4hr 20m, so we need to adjust the figures down by 40 mins. So I grab our numbers, do the calculations and ring up - about 2.20pm, as we couldn't do it in the morning and I figured the phone lines would be extra busy at lunch time, so this is a time when we're likely to get through more easily. So, the phone actually gets answered on the first call - which is so far unheard of for me, so wonderful. Go through the rigmarole of talking to the computer and getting put through to an operator - again, all much quicker than previously. So I explain what needs to happen, she checks that I have all the details to prove I'm probably who I say I am, she brings up the details and I give her the old figure and the new figure, just like I expect... But wait - you see, what we hadn't been told is that the Centrelink system only takes whole hours in its figures - so the 15.33 hr had been entered on the system as 15 (ok, it rounds down to 15, so I can understand that) - but guess what, 14.67 hr rounds UP to 15 as well - so it was a total waste of time calling at all, because the figures they actually USED didn't need to change at all - only the figures we wrote on the forms were different!!

So - after politely finishing the call, I then ranted and raved for a few minutes, and sat down to write this. I swear, by the end of this process, I'll be an expert on Centrelink - truly I will - but gee, it's like pulling teeth at the moment!