What is portable long service?
In Australia, workers are entitled to traditional long service leave in addition to their annual leave, after a long period of working for the same employer.
Victoria also has the Portable Long Service Benefits Scheme for workers in community services. There is no cost for you to be a registered worker.
Portable long service allows community service workers to build up long service entitlements based on time spent in the sector, rather than with a single employer.
It is ‘portable’ because it moves with you if you change employers but remain in the community services sector. A worker can be registered with multiple community services employers at the same time. If a worker is working for more than one community services employer in the same period, they accrue benefits with each employer.
The Portable Long Service Authority administers the Scheme.
I’m an NDIS worker – can I get portable long service?
If you are working for a registered community services employer(opens in a new window) and your employment is covered by a listed award you are a community services worker, and your employer must register you.
The listed awards are:
- Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS)
- Children’s Services Award 2010
- Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010
- Labour Market Assistance Industry Award 2020
- Supported Employment Services Award 2020
Refer to ‘Who is a community services worker’.
Once your employer has registered you, you will receive a welcome pack in the mail that will include your Worker ID.
Each quarter, your employer will record your service and wages with the Authority and pay a levy. That levy is then managed in a central fund.
What do I need to do?
Once you have your Worker ID you should register for access to the worker portal(opens in a new window).
Through the portal you will be able to track your employer contributions, entitlements you have built up, update your address and phone number as well as access your Annual Statements.
I have more than one job what happens?
You can build up entitlements with more than one employer at the same time. Each time you work for a registered community services employer and your employment is covered by a listed award you are a community services worker, and your employer must register you and you will build up entitlements.
If you start working for a new employer, give them your Worker ID.
I am an NDIS worker but I’m not registered – what should I do?
If your employer has not registered you, contact them to make sure they are aware of the Scheme.
If your employer is registered, you should ask why they have not registered you. You should also give them your Worker ID if you have one.
You can use the Authority’s employer lookup tool(opens in a new window) to find out if your employer is registered.
Not every NDIS worker will be a community services worker for the Scheme. It depends which Award covers your employment.
For example, workers providing health or mental health services to people with a disability and are covered by one of the health professional occupation awards may be excluded. For example, physiotherapist, registered nurse, speech pathologist, diversional therapist, occupational therapist or credentialed mental health social worker.
Other workers like psychosocial recovery coaches who are covered by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 are workers under the Scheme and must be registered.
For more information phone the Authority on 1800 517 158(opens in a new window) or email enquiries@plsa.vic.gov.au.
Updated
