Security worker coverage

Security coverage under the Scheme

An employer for the security industry is a person engaged in the security industry in Victoria who employs someone else to perform work in the industry.

Under the Scheme the security industry is where security activities are undertaken by people licensed or registered under the Private Security Act 2004, including:

• acting as an investigator
• acting as a bodyguard
• acting as a crowd controller
• acting as a security guard (including while exercising control over a dog, while armed with a firearm, while unarmed and collecting/transferring/delivery cash or valuables while armed)
• the protecting, guarding and watching of any property by monitoring or operating a security system
• acting as a private security trainer
• the installation, repair, service or maintenance or security equipment and systems, e.g. such as camera systems, audio systems, audio or visual recording systems, alarms and alarm monitoring systems, safes and vaults, security intrusion detectors and electric, electromagnetic, magnetic or biometric access control devices
• acting as a security advisor.

Self-employed security workers

Self-employed workers performing security 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.

Worker coverage criteria

Under the Scheme, covered security workers must be:

• employed by an employer for the security industry; and
• the predominant activity of their substantive role must be security work.

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

LeavePlus and the Scheme

LeavePlus covers workers in the building and construction industry. Some security workers may already be registered with LeavePlus. From 1 January 2022, workers registered with LeavePlus can register for portable long service under the Scheme if one of the following circumstances apply:

• The LeavePlus levy is no longer being paid by an employer (and the worker remains on the LeavePlus register); or
• The LeavePlus levy is being paid by an employer and the worker also performs work for an employer in the security industry

Example: Erin works part-time as a labourer in the construction industry and part-time as a bodyguard in the security industry. She is covered by the Scheme as a security worker in respect of her work as a bodyguard.

Exclusions

Work that is not classified as security work for the Scheme includes:

• installing a lock as part of work as a builder
• cutting unrestricted keys
• operating a prison or other correctional facility
• selling self-installing security systems.

The following are not employers for the Scheme, even if they have workers performing security 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 of the State.

Workers employed by excluded employers are not covered by the Scheme, even if they are undertaking security work.

Further information