Workers in Victoria’s community services, contract cleaning and security industries should check if they’re eligible for the Portable Long Service Benefits Scheme.
More than 450,000 Victorian workers are already registered for the Scheme.
It covers contractors and employers providing services like guarding, monitoring, or patrolling under contract, including full-time, part-time, casual, seasonal, and fixed-term workers. Employers must register eligible workers and pay the same 1.80% levy on ordinary pay (as for contract cleaning), reported quarterly to the Portable Long Service Authority. Workers accrue benefits based on total industry service across employers, claimable after seven years.
It also covers the contract cleaning industry, meaning employers who provide cleaning services under contract (such as commercial cleaners, labour hire firms supplying cleaners, or contractors servicing buildings, offices, or public spaces) must register their eligible workers and pay the required levy.
It covers employers providing services such as social work, welfare, youth support, family services, housing assistance, NDIS-funded disability support, and certain children’s services (non-profit licensed providers or approved under national education laws). Like cleaning and security, eligible workers (full-time, part-time, casual, etc.) accrue portable benefits based on total industry service, with employers paying a levy of 1.65% on ordinary pay (slightly lower than the 1.80% for cleaning/security).
This includes full-time, part-time, casual, seasonal, and fixed-term cleaning workers, who accrue portable long service benefits based on their total time in the industry across multiple employers. The employer levy is currently 1.80% of workers’ ordinary pay, reported quarterly to the Portable Long Service Authority.
The Scheme allows eligible workers in the three industries to accrue portable long service leave entitlements, even if they change jobs or have many employers.
Under the Scheme, workers can transfer their portable long service entitlements from job to job if they work in the same industry and for an employer registered with the Portable Long Service Authority.
The Scheme covers eligible full-time, part-time, casual and fixed-term employees.
In Australia, workers are entitled to long service leave after a long period of employment with the same employer.
The Scheme started in 2019 and gives workers in industries that see a lot of movement between employers the opportunity to accrue portable long service entitlements.
Employers record the hours and pay of their workers and send the information to the Portable Long Service Authority who track worker entitlements.
After at least 7 years of service under the Scheme, you can apply for your well-deserved portable long service benefits.
Visit plsa.vic.gov.au to check if you’re eligible or if your employer is registered for the Scheme. Employers must by law register their eligible workers.