Contract cleaning worker coverage

Contract cleaning coverage under the Scheme

Under the Portable Long Service Benefits Scheme, the contract cleaning industry is where employers are contracted to carry out cleaning work by a third party and employ workers to perform this work.

Under the Scheme, cleaning work is any work that aims to bring premises into, or maintain, a clean condition.

Premises can include part or all, of any land or structure and includes swimming pools and their surrounding grounds.

Worker coverage criteria

To be covered under the under the Scheme in the contract cleaning industry, workers must be:

• employed by an employer for the Scheme; and
• the worker's predominant activity of their substantive role (not acting role or secondment) must be cleaning work.

Workers for the contract cleaning industry can be employed on a full-time, part-time, casual, apprentice or seasonal basis.

LeavePlus and the Scheme

Contract cleaning workers who are registered with LeavePlus from 1 January 2022 may be eligible to register for portable long service if the following circumstances apply:

1. The individual is employed by and employer within the contract cleaning industry; and
2. Either the LeavePlus levy is no longer being paid for that individual; or the LeavePlus levy is being paid by a person other than their registered employer under the Scheme.

For example, where a worker is employed by an employer registered with LeavePlus in the construction industry and also employed by an employer in the contract cleaning industry, they may be covered for portable long service with the Authority for their contract cleaning industry work.

Self-employed contract cleaners

Self-employed workers performing cleaning work for another person or organisation can choose to register for the Scheme. They will be required to meet employer obligations by submitting quarterly returns and paying the associated levy to receive entitlements to portable long service benefits.

Exclusions

Cleaning work that is not covered by the Scheme includes:

• cleaning of things that are mobile (e.g. aircraft, boats, cars, trains and caravans)
• removal of waste from commercial waste receptacles
• cleaning and maintenance of grounds surrounding a building or house when this consists of gardening and the removal or alteration of vegetation
• cleaning a building or house under construction.

The following are not employers for the Scheme, even if they have workers performing contract cleaning work:

• federal or state government departments or agencies
• local governments or other public statutory bodies
• entities with a governing body appointed under an Act of the Commonwealth or the State.

Workers employed by employers that don’t meet the requirements for registration with the Authority are not covered under the Scheme, even if they are undertaking contract cleaning work.

Workers employed under the following awards are not covered under the Scheme:

• the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020
• the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Awards 2020
• the Airline Operations Ground Staff Award 2020
• the Waste Management Award 2020.

Further information