Thousands of unemployed young people face a 10-week wait for the dole under measures proposed by the government.
Legislation before federal parliament imposes a four-week pause on welfare payments for those under 25.
But the social services department estimates the wait could actually be stretched out to 10 weeks for 10,000 people, a Senate inquiry hearing in Canberra was told on Wednesday.
The figures are based on a briefing from the department to Mission Australia.
David Piggot, an official from the charity group, said the four-week wait stretches to five when an existing mandatory one-week wait for welfare is taken into account.
Those who worked in the first six months of the year but then became jobless because of casual or short-term work were affected.
"In fact DSS in their briefings to us estimate that some 10,000 young job seekers will face a second wait period that will in effect mean a 10-week wait period in any one year without benefits," he said.
Share
