Community service workers keen to learn more about portable long service leave

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.