Traditionally designed to reward employees who stayed with the one employer for a period of service, long service leave in this form has quickly became inaccessible to most Australian workers. For workers in the building and construction industry, the thought of long service leave seems only a distant dream.

Whether it’s contract tenures or simply site availability, long service for tradespeople can be challenging but it doesn’t have to be.

Cue: Portable Long Service Scheme

The Long Service Corporation is an entity that administers long service on behalf of employees and employers and provides a portable service to building and construction workers in NSW.

The Long Service Corporation enables eligible workers to work for various employers or as sub-contractors and recognises their years of continuous work via an online membership portal.

Register: Employers must use the portal

Employers register with the Long Service Corporation and advise the corporation who worked for them each year so records can be kept of an employee’s service.

This includes sole traders or members of partnerships who employ workers on wages.

542 Tip: As an employer it is essential you are registered so your employees and contractors are receiving their full entitlements.

Notify: Worker’s Service 

Start and End Employment Dates
Whether a worker is commencing or terminating employment, the employer is required to advise the Corporation within 7 days, even If they only work for one day. There are penalties for failing to advise the Corporation within 7 days of the termination of a worker’s employment.

542 Tip: You also have to give the Corporation details about workers who are employed by you at 30 June each year.

Part Time Workers
If you employ a part-time worker for a specified number of days per week/month, the worker should be shown as part-time on the Employer Return with the total number of days worked during the period.

Casual Workers
In the case of a casual worker who works full-time for a limited period, they should be shown as full-time with the actual period of employment shown.

Returning Worker
If you have employed a worker who has worked occasional days during the whole year, the return can show the whole financial year as the period of employment but the part-time box must be crossed. You must then provide the actual number of days worked during the year.

542 Tip: In the first week of July the Corporation will remind employers that their return is due for completion by 31 July.

Working outside NSW

You cannot record work performed outside of NSW with the NSW scheme.

Important Note: There is no cost to employers or workers to be in the scheme, however employers do have legal guidelines to follow.

Not sure where to start with long service entitlements?

Let’s talk.

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