News and events

All employers registered with the Portable Long Service Authority must lodge a quarterly return every three months in October, January, April and July.

Quarterly return information sessions step employers through submitting their quarterly return using the employer portal; including manually adding workers and adding workers through bulk upload.

They are delivered by our Customer Service and Education Officers.

The following session is available:

Tuesday 10 December, 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm(opens in a new window)

Registrations are essential. Information sessions will be run via MS Teams and a link will be sent prior to the event.

If you have any questions in relation to this training, please contact our team at enquiries@plsa.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window).

Staff from the Portable Long Service Authority fielded numerous enquiries about portable long service leave from some of the thousands of visitors at the Melbourne Disability Expo.

Disability services providers participated in the Expo, held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 22-23 November. In addition to Victorian and Commonwealth government agencies, including the Authority, the Victorian Disability Worker Commission, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, Services Australia and the NDIS.

Many disability workers and their employers fall within the community services industry parameters of the Portable Long Service Benefits Scheme.

The Scheme allows workers in community services, contract cleaning and security industries to build up long service entitlements based on their time in the industry, even if they work for different employers over the years.

It is compulsory for employers with covered workers in the three industries to register for the Scheme.

More than 380,000 Victorian workers are already registered to receive portable long service benefits. Of that number, about 250,000 work in community services.

The Expo was an opportunity for the PLSA to connect in person and raise awareness about portable long service leave to workers and employers in the community services industry.

Workers covered by the Scheme were reminded to check they are registered, how to access the worker portal on the PLSA website to track their employer contributions, current accrual, their contact information and access annual statements.

For enquiries:

t: 0466 097 816(opens in a new window)
e: communications@plsa.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window)

​​CEO’s and Chairs plan a better future for workers​​, Wednesday 6 November 2024

A two-day conference of portable long service leave authorities was held last week (28-29 October), bringing together the heads of all ten Commonwealth, state and territory-based authorities.

More than two million workers in the building and construction, community services, contract cleaning, security industries and coal industry are covered by various portable long service schemes across Australia.

The schemes allow covered workers to build up long service entitlements based on time spent in the industry, even if they work for different employers over the years.

This meeting followed a national conference held in Bendigo in February this year, which provided a platform for knowledge-sharing and discussions on common challenges.

Authorities at the Bendigo conference reaffirmed the importance of collective efforts, emphasising the need to leverage skills, knowledge, and expertise to support the work of their respective jurisdictions.

The meeting also covered Ausleave, which is a co-operative venture, providing centralised access to information about each state and territory's scheme.

The ongoing collaboration and shared efforts among Australia’s portable long service leave authorities aims to ensure all covered workers receive portable long service leave benefits and employers continue to contribute to the success of the schemes.

Discussions covered benchmarking results across authorities, opportunities for growth and different ways to evolve the scheme for the benefit of employers and workers.

The conference highlighted the commitment of Australia’s portable long service leave authorities to strengthen portable long service leave schemes, ensuring that they remain responsive to the changes in the workforce landscape while continuing to benefit Australian workers and employers.

The following Commonwealth, state and territory authorities participated in the meeting:

• Long Service Corporation (New South Wales)
• ACT Leave (Australian Capital Territory)
• MyLeave (Western Australia)
• Portable Long Service Leave (South Australia)
• LeavePlus (Victoria)
• NT Build (Northern Territory)
• QLeave (Queensland)
• TasBuild Ltd (Tasmania)
• Coal LSL (New South Wales)
• Portable Long Service Authority (Victoria)
  

For enquiries:

t: 0466 097 816(opens in a new window)
e: communications@plsa.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window)

For further background on Victoria’s PLSA:

Please visit the Portable Long Service Authority or Ausleave(opens in a new window) which provides the details of all state and territory authority websites.

​PLSA 5th anniversary​, Friday 9 August 2024

Victoria’s Portable Long Service Authority is celebrating its 5th anniversary while reaching a significant milestone with more than 350,000 workers now registered to receive portable long service benefits.

Under the Portable Long Service Scheme (Scheme), Victorian workers in the community services, contract cleaning and security industries can accumulate long service benefits based on their service in the industry rather than time with a single employer.

Prior to the Scheme commencing in 2019, many workers in the three industries weren’t eligible for the benefits of long service leave as they frequently moved from one short-term contract job to another.

The Scheme allows workers to accrue long service benefits even if they move between different employers in the same industry.

During a celebratory event attended by the Honourable Maree Edwards, Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly and the Member for Bendigo West, local registered employers and other special guests, PLSA Board Chair, Julius Roe, outlined the Authority’s achievements.

Ms Edwards, who has been a strong supporter of the Scheme, congratulated the PLSA on registering 350,000 Victorian workers in just five years.

More than 3,400 employers have so far registered with the PLSA. Employers pay a levy ranging between 1.65 - 1.80% of a workers’ wage, with funds totalling about $500 million invested by the Authority with the Victorian Funds Management Corporation.

The Portable Long Service Authority, which administers the Scheme, is based in the Galkangu Bendigo GovHub and employs about 60 people.

Employers and workers can get more information on portable long service leave by calling 1800-517-158, emailing enquiries@plsa.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window) or visiting plsa.vic.gov.au.

*The event is being held at 10:00 am August 9, Galkangu Bendigo GovHub, 189-229 Lyttleton Terrace, Bendigo.

(Media are welcome to attend)

For enquiries:

t: 0466 097 816(opens in a new window)
e: communications@plsa.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window)

Thursday 6 June 2024

A landmark reform providing portable long service leave for workers in industries where short-term contracts and movement between employers is common has achieved another major milestone.

350,000 workers are now registered with Victoria’s Portable Long Service Authority (Authority).

Since 2019, Victorian workers in the community services, contract cleaning and security industries have been able to accumulate long service benefits based on their service in the industry rather than time with a single employer.

Workers can claim their portable long service leave entitlement once they complete seven years of service.

Employers also play an important role with more than 3,340 currently registered with the Authority. These employers are providing a better life for thousands of Victorians.

One of these valued organisations is the Endeavour Foundation. Established in 1951, it is one of the largest employers of people with disability in Victoria and currently has nearly 330 workers registered with the Authority.

“Through Endeavour Foundation and its offshoot Community Solutions we support people with intellectual disability facing barriers to enter or advance their employment” said Endeavour Chief Executive Officer, Mr David Swain.

“Employment provides so much more than a pay packet. A good job can offer us all the chance of personal dignity, self-respect, financial security, friendships, community, growth, and opportunities which are things we all want in our lives” he added.

The Bendigo-based Authority manages $465 million in funds accrued to pay workers portable long service benefits.

Employer contributions of 1.65-1.80% of a worker’s wage are invested by the Authority with the Victorian Funds Management Corporation.

For enquiries:

t: 0466 097 816(opens in a new window)
e: communications@plsa.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window)

For further information on Endeavour Foundation:

Go to: Endeavour Foundation(opens in a new window)

Communique

Thursday 22 February 2024

The National Conference of Portable Long Service Leave Authorities concluded its two-day event on 2 February 2024, bringing together representatives from all nine state and territory-based authorities. Hosted at the Galkangu Government Building in Bendigo, where the Victorian Portable Long Service Leave Authority is based, this marked the first such face-to-face conference since 2019.

Over two million workers from multiple industries working in building and construction, community services, contract cleaning and security are encompassed by state-administered portable long service schemes across Australia.

The conference provided a unique platform for leaders of Australia’s portable long service leave authorities to engage in knowledge-sharing and discussions on common challenges. Key themes included the effective administration and growth of the schemes, the development and futureproofing of information technology (IT) systems, and maturing compliance and enforcement as regulatory authorities.

Concurrent online sessions saw the active participation of senior authority staff from finance, legal, compliance and IT. The discussion covered a wide array of relevant topics, fostering collaboration and mutual exploration of challenges and opportunities.

Authorities at the conference reaffirmed the importance of collective efforts, emphasising the need to leverage skills, knowledge, and expertise to support the work of their respective jurisdictions. Chairs and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) reached a consensus to conduct future conference meetings twice a year – one in person and the other online. The Chair position and hosting will be rotated by a different Authority each calendar year.

This conference has set a strong precedent for ongoing collaboration and shared efforts among Portable Long Service Leave Authorities across Australia. All the Authorities look forward to the continued success of this conference and the shared initiative in supporting the rights and benefits of over two million workers covered by these schemes.

For further background on the Victoria’s PLSA:

Please visit the Portable Long Service Authority or Ausleave(opens in a new window) which provides the details of all state and territory authority websites.

Thursday 1 February 2024

Portable Long Service Authority is hosting the Ausleave national regulators conference in Bendigo on 1-2 February 2024.

Chairs and Chief Executive Officer (CEOs) of state portable long service authorities are meeting at Victoria’s Portable Long Service Authority (PLSA) to discuss their shared vision for millions of Australian workers on Thursday and Friday 1-2 February 2024.

More than two-million workers in industries ranging from building and construction, community services, contract cleaning and security are covered by state-controlled portable long service schemes.

Since the PLSA commenced in July 2019, about 300,000 Victorian workers from the security, cleaning and health services sectors have been registered and will be eligible to claim portable long service benefits.

“The conference is an opportunity for the authorities to share ideas and promote collaboration and the exchange of valuable insights among state industry leaders,” said PLSA Chair Julius Roe.

The various state-administered schemes which fall under the banner of Ausleave(opens in a new window) collectively manage more than $5-billion dollars held for the benefit of workers in the covered industries and enables them to accrue long service entitlements that can be transferred from job-to-job.

Previously, many workers were not eligible for long service benefits because of the short-term, contract-based nature of their work, often switching from one short-term contract to another.

Employers pay a levy based on a percentage of a worker’s wage to fund worker portable long service benefits.

Now in its fifth year of operation and as a maturing regulator, the focus of the PLSA (which operates three schemes in Victoria) will now turn to identifying employers who are required to be registered with the PLSA but have failed to do so to date.

“This will ensure that all eligible workers are receiving the portable long service entitlements that they are lawfully entitled to receive,” added PLSA CEO and Registrar, Mr Joseph Yeung.

Background:

CEOs and senior leaders attending the Ausleave National Conference 2024:

• Joseph Yeung, CEO of Portable Long Service Authority (Victoria’s community services, contract cleaning and security industries)
• Craig Bell, CEO of LeavePlus (Victoria’s construction industry)
• Kathy Skuta, Director of Long Service Corporation NSW (New South Wales construction and contract cleaning industries)
• Cassandra Webeck, Deputy Registrar of ACT Leave (Australian Capital Territory’s construction, contract cleaning, community and security industries)
• Jason Buckley, CEO of MyLeave WA (Western Australia’s construction industry)
• Anthony Mackay, CEO of Portable Long Service Leave (South Australia’s construction industry)
• Jim Laouris, Registrar of NTBuild (Northern Territory’s construction industry)
• Rebecca Sampson, Director of Operations of QLeave (Queensland’s construction, contract cleaning and community services)
• Mark Williams, CEO of TasBuild (Tasmania’s construction industry)

For enquiries related to the Ausleave Conference:

t: 1800 517 158(opens in a new window)
e: communications@plsa.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window)

For further background on the Victoria’s PLSA:

Please visit the Portable Long Service Authority or Ausleave(opens in a new window) which provides the details of all state and territory authority websites.