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Employer obligations

Read this important information before applying for an NDIS endorsement

Before applying for NDIS worker screening, you first must apply for a registration to work with children with an NDIS endorsement. To get this endorsement, your NDIS employer (this includes an NDIS participant) must verify your work. Your application will NOT proceed without this verification. You will need to provide your employer details so have this information ready before starting your application. Further instructions are provided when you apply.

PLEASE NOTE: you cannot apply for an NDIS endorsement if you do not have an NDIS employer

New employer obligations

Please note that as of 1 February 2021, we have new laws relating to Registration to Work with Vulnerable People.  These laws will create more rigorous employer obligations than already in place.

Check a registration status online

You must always check the status of your employees and volunteers online before they start working or volunteering with your organisation.  Please do not accept the registration card as proof alone. You will need the application/registration number and surname to  check an application/registration.

It is also good practice for you to check the status of your employees or volunteers online periodically to make sure their registration has not expired.

Register your organisation details using the Employer Portal

An Employer Portal is available where you can register your organisation and manage your employees and volunteers. The portal allows you to:

  • search and add employees and volunteers
  • review employee and volunteer registration status
  • pay your employee and volunteer registration fees
  • update organisation details.

Read the Employer portal user guide (PDF, 978.4 KB)

Click here to register your organisation’s details

Employer portal login

Add your details to a registration

It is mandatory that your employer details are linked to an application or registration so we can notify you if there has been a change to the employee or volunteer registration status e.g. suspended or cancelled registration.

If your employee or volunteer has not already listed your details into their registration you must add your details on their behalf.  You can add your details on the check an application/ registration page. You are also obliged to remove your details when the person is no longer working or volunteering with you. Please ensure you always update your details within 10 working days as penalty provisions may apply. The applicant/registrant will receive an automatic email to let them know their employee/volunteer details have been changed.

Class of registration

If you pay your employee, you need to make sure their class of registration is listed as Employee/Volunteer. Penalty provisions also may apply if an employer engages someone with a volunteer registration if they are receiving payment or other material benefit or reward for their role.

A person who is registered as a volunteer can upgrade their employment class to Employee/Volunteer online through My Registration.

Registrar may require information

The Registrar may request information from you. If the Registrar wishes to check on you an employer, he can ask questions about you or ask you to provide documents within a certain timeframe. For example, the Registrar may want to check to ensure all your employees who should be registered do actually hold a current registration.

Allowing your employee/volunteer to work when an application is underway

You may allow your employee/volunteer to work when they have an application underway.  However, there are a few obligations on you to allow this to happen:

  • You must check to ensure your employee/volunteer has an application lodged
  • You must make sure they are supervised by a registered person at all times
  • You must also have a ‘risk management plan’ in place.  This plan is to be specific to your place of employment and relevant to the person.  The Registrar allows you to prepare and update your own plan. However, there is a requirement that you at least address the risk around making sure your employee is supervised at all times.

Exemptions from registration

Persons under 16 and persons undertaking work as a student on work experience or doing practical training are also exempt from holding a registration in all categories of registration. However, those on work experience must also be supervised by a registered person.

Read more about other exemptions which continue to apply.

If you don’t want the exemptions to apply to your place of work you can request that all employees/volunteers are registered.

Can I engage a person with a pending application?

If you have engaged a person to work or volunteer in a regulated activity, they may commence work prior to their registration being granted, in the following circumstances:

  • The applicant has named you as the employer on their application;
  • You have agreed to engage the person to work or volunteer in the regulated activity;
  • You are satisfied that the applicant has applied for registration and that the application is pending (see ‘check a registration status online’);
  • You have prepared and implemented a risk management plan that is relevant to the work or volunteering the applicant is undertaking; and
  • The applicant is accompanied by a registered person at all times whilst they are engaged in the regulated activity.

Employees and volunteers can go to the registration holder obligations page for more information on working once they have applied for registration.

What is a risk management plan?

A risk management plan is only needed if the applicant is engaged in the regulated activity, or would otherwise needs registration.

A risk management plan is intended to mitigate risk of harm to vulnerable people by ensuring employers have appropriate measures and controls in place to ensure the safety, welfare and protection of vulnerable persons.

The risk management plan should provide a description of the regulated activity for which the person is engaged, and consider such things as supervision of the applicant by a registered person, pending their approved application.  It may be necessary to vary a person’s duties or hours dependent on your organisations capacity to satisfy the requirements of the Act – this should all be documented in your risk management plan.

Further information

The Australian Children’s Commissioners and Guardians have developed key principals that employers can look out for in organisations that work directly with children, see child safe organisations.

Related information

Last updated: 31 May 2023

This page has been produced and published by the Consumer Building and Occupational Services Division of the Department of Justice. Although every care has been taken in production, no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy, completeness, or relevance to the user's purpose of the information. Those using it for whatever purpose are advised to verify it with the relevant government department, local government body or other source and to obtain any appropriate professional advice. The Crown, its officers, employees and agents do not accept liability however arising, including liability for negligence, for any loss resulting from the use of or reliance upon the information and/or reliance on its availability at any time.