LAUNCESTON Newstart and Youth Allowance recipients will be required to participate in the federal government's Work for the Dole program from today.
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People aged 18 to 30, who have received the benefits for more than 12 months, will be required to work 15 hours a week for six months as part of the program.
Work for the Dole hours will be increased to 25 hours a week in July 2015.
The scheme will roll out across 18 Tasmanian municipalities, including the North and North-West, in accordance with the government's revamped plan.
Engaged Work for the Dole participants would still be required to search for work, federal Assistant Employment Minister Luke Hartsuyker said yesterday.
Mr Hartsuyker would not comment on increased hours in 2015, but said each worker would be assessed for appropriate positions with not-for-profit organisations.
He said although the program was ``primarily a work placement'' arrangement, some provisions would be made for training participants.
Mr Hartsuyker said the Economic Department was filling the role of program co-ordinators, which would include specialists to identify best-match placements for workers.
``They have to have the capacity to do the placement,'' Mr Hartsuyker said. ``If there's a medical reason why that person can't participate, those exemptions are there.''
He said the government was aiming for 30,000 to 40,000 placements in the program's initial phase.