Commonwealth Employment Service

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The Commonwealth Employment Service (CES) was an Australian Government employment agency that was established in 1946 with the introduction of the Re-establishment and Employment Act 1945 under the Curtin ALP government. It was designed to identify labour shortages, and solve them through supplying labour. It also conducted a "work test" of welfare recipients, to prove their willingness (and ability) to work.

Returned soldiers whose disabilities caused them difficulty finding employment were further assisted by the federal government's Vocational Training Scheme for Invalid Pensioners (which had started in 1941). In 1948, this became the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service (CRS). Over time the CRS came to help disabled Australians from any background to enter employment.

The CES continued to exist under the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations according to the provisions of the Commonwealth Employment Service Act 1978. In 1987 the department became Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET).