The Textile, Clothing and Footwear
Structural Adjustment Program
June 2013
TCF Structural Adjustment Program June 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background .................................................................................................. 4
Elements of the TCF Structural Adjustment Program ................................... 4
Support for retrenched TCF employees ....................................................... 5
Job Services Australia .............................................................................. 5
Definitions .................................................................................................... 6
TCF Structural Adjustment Program June 2013
Background
On 27 November 2003 the Australian Government agreed a package of
assistance for the textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industries. This
included funding to be provided for the period 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2015 up
to a maximum of $50 million in total to encourage restructuring and reduce the
burden of transition experienced by firms, workers and communities.
Within this package, the Structural Adjustment Program supports labour
market adjustment. The Program aims to increase awareness of existing
programs and services, such as the Government’s Job Services Australia, to
support any requirement for major labour adjustment such as dislocation
associated with large scale business closures, subject to strict eligibility
criteria.
The purpose of these Program Guidelines is to provide a framework for the
operation and administration of the TCF Structural Adjustment Program.
Elements of the TCF Structural Adjustment
Program
The TCF Structural Adjustment Program provides assistance to TCF
employees, including TCF casual employees and TCF
outworkers/homeworkers, who have been retrenched by an eligible TCF
business, to secure alternative employment through Job Services Australia
with support from community-based service providers.
Note — Part 2 of the TCF Structural Adjustment Program, the Restructuring
Initiative Grants Scheme, ceased in June 2013.
Note — Part 3 of the TCF Structural Adjustment Program, supplementation of
the Regional Partnerships Program for regional communities, ceased in May
2008.
TCF Structural Adjustment Program June 2013
Support for retrenched TCF employees
Job Services Australia
The Australian Government's Employment Service, Job Services Australia, is
a national network of private and community organisations dedicated to
finding jobs for unemployed people, particularly the long-term unemployed.
Under the TCF Structural Adjustment Program, retrenched workers from
eligible TCF businesses are able to access intensive employment services.
Job Services Australia providers will assess a job seeker’s skills and
reconnect them with employment opportunities as quickly as possible. Job
Services Australia providers will also help job seekers access skills
development training in industries and occupations where job opportunities
currently exist.
Job Services Australia providers will assist in the development of an individual
Employment Pathway plan, which will set out the job seeker’s skills needs and
the assistance and training that they will receive. This may include:

career advice;

a comprehensive skills assessment;

skills development training and referral to appropriate education and
training;

IT support and stationery support to help with job applications; and/or

credit to the Employment Pathway Fund to pay for items such as computer
courses, heavy vehicle licences, safety boots, work uniforms and other
items that will directly help the job seeker to gain employment.
Under the TCF Structural Adjustment Program:

immediate access to intensive employment services will be available to all
retrenched TCF employees (including TCF casual employees and TCF
outworkers/homeworkers) from eligible TCF businesses;

assistance to retrenched employees will be limited to one registration for
assistance in a calendar year; and
TCF Structural Adjustment Program June 2013

the Employment Pathway Fund will be supplemented by $2880 (the
standard Stream 3 credit of $1100 plus an additional TCF credit of $1780)
for each retrenched TCF employee to assist Job Services Australia
providers in the purchase of additional assistance to help address barriers
to work or retraining requirements.
Community-based service providers may also apply for limited grant funding
for projects aimed at enhancing the delivery of the TCF Structural Adjustment
Program.
Definitions
Eligible TCF activity has the meaning given by section 1.6 of the Textile,
Clothing and Footwear Post-2005 Strategic Investment Program Scheme
2005 (also known as the TCF Post-2005 (SIP) Scheme):
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2005L00963.
Eligible TCF business means a business undertaking an eligible TCF
activity. There is no requirement for an eligible TCF business to be a
participant in the TCF Post-2005 (SIP) Scheme.
TCF casual employee means a TCF employee who can demonstrate
continuous employment of an average of 15 hours or more per week, with an
eligible TCF business, for at least six months. Employees of labour hire firms
who can demonstrate that they were contracted to provide services primarily
to an eligible TCF business, for a least six months, will be considered TCF
casual employees.
TCF employee means any individual for whom the eligible TCF business, or
labour hire firm, is required to withhold an amount under section 12-35 or 1240 of Schedule 1 to the Taxation Administration Act 1953.
TCF outworker/homeworker means an individual who is engaged to make
TCF goods on behalf of an eligible TCF business in the individual’s residence,
or in other premises that would not conventionally be regarded as being
business premises, continuously for an average of 15 hours or more per week
for at least six months.
TCF Structural Adjustment Program June 2013