Under the National Employment Standards, every national system employee receives long service leave after a period of continuous employment with their employer. This entitlement to long service leave varies according to the long service leave laws of each state or territory. In Victoria, employees have their long service leave entitlement governed by the Victorian Long Service Leave Act 2018 (Vic).
What is portable long service leave and when was it introduced?
In the early childhood sector, teachers and educators frequently work for different employers and early childhood services throughout their careers. Previously, there were no laws that allowed the transfer of accrued long service leave between early childhood services, except in specific circumstances. This is because state-based long service leave legislation recognises a continuous period of employment service with a single employer.
The Portable Long Service Benefits Scheme started in July 2019 in Victoria to allow covered employees to build up long service entitlements based on time spent in the early childhood sector, even if they work for different employers over the years.
In Victoria, all employers at non-profit licensed children’s services under the Education and Care Services National Law, are considered ‘covered employers’ under the Portable Long Service Benefits Scheme. Providers of early childhood education and care services (approved providers) have been required to register since 1 January 2020.
As a ‘covered employer’ you must be registered with the Portable Long Service Leave Authority to meet legal obligations under the Long Service Benefits Portability Act 2018 (Vic). The Scheme allows early childhood employees to accrue long service leave entitlements as ‘workers’ under the Scheme regardless of changes in their employer over time.
The Scheme is funded by a levy paid by employers to the Portable Long Service Authority. Employers submit a quarterly return and the levy, paid quarterly, is calculated based on the number of hours and ordinary pay of covered workers.
How does the Scheme work with state long service leave laws?
Under the Portable Long Service Benefits (PLSB) Scheme, early childhood workers accrue portable long service benefits concurrently with traditional long service le(...)
