Victorian workers win right to portable long service benefits

Workers in community services, security and contract cleaning now have access to portable long service benefits for the first time, thanks to new legislation passed by the Victorian state government.

The Long Service Benefits Portability Act 2018 has passed the Victorian Parliament, making long service benefits available to workers who had been denied the right through no fault of their own.

Under the new laws, workers will be entitled to long service leave or benefits after working for seven years in their industry, irrespective of the number of employers they have worked for over that time.

Workers in the contract cleaning, security and community services sectors often perform the same job for well over the seven years required to get long service leave – yet did not receive it.

The new laws are in response to a Victorian Parliamentary Committee, which recommended a portable long service scheme and will commence in the middle of 2019.

Work will also now commence to design the regulations necessary to support the implementation and design the schemes for the disability and early childhood sectors.

The State’s Minister for Industrial Relations Natalie Hutchins underlined that “The new laws will enable people who have worked, often at the same job, for more than seven years to take time off with their families like so many other Victorian are entitled to do.”

“This is bringing fairness and equity to Victorian workers in contract cleaning, security and the community services sector.”