Portable Long Service Leave (Community Services Sector) Bill 2024
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment is seeking feedback on the Portable Long Service Leave (Community Services Sector) Bill 2024.
Background
The Northern Territory Government is changing the way long service leave will be managed for businesses and workers in the community services sector.
At the moment, the Long Service Leave Act 1981 covers employees within the community services sector. Under this Act, employees qualify for 13 weeks of long service leave after completing 10 years of service with the same employer.
Portable Long Service Leave (Community Services Sector) Bill 2024
The Portable Long Service Leave (Community Services Sector) Bill 2024 was introduced to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in March 2024.
The Bill proposes to establish a Scheme establishing a portable long service leave in the community services sector.
The purpose of the Bill is to ensure:
- employees are recognised for their hard work in caring for our community and allowing them to take meaningful, well‑earned breaks from work
- long service leave would be made available based on a worker’s years of services to the sector, rather than a single employer, meaning their service would be recognised even if they move between businesses (it will be ‘portable’).
Who this applies to
These changes will cover workers in:
- Childcare services, including care and support services for the development of preschool-aged children but not including before school care or after school care for school-aged children provided by a school
- Community legal services
- Crisis assistance and accommodation support services
- Disability services, including workers who provide personal care and domestic and lifestyle support to a person living with disability in the community or a residential setting
- Family day care services
- Group training services
- Health and wellbeing services provided to an Aboriginal community by an Aboriginal‑controlled health service
- Home care services
- Recreation services
- Residential and community aged care
- Respite services and day care services
- Social and community services, including social work
- Welfare services
- Youth support and development services, and services associated with community development, including where the services are primarily engaged in policy, advocacy or representation on behalf of organisations involved in the delivery of such services.
- If you work for a labour hire provider which employs you as a contractor to the community services sector you will be covered by this scheme.
Consultation phase one
In March 2024, the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment sought feedback on the proposed timing for implementation of the Scheme and other issues that may need to be addressed to ensure stakeholders are prepared when the Scheme commences in 18-24 months.
Feedback received during this consultation informed the Bill before it was presented to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.
Have your say
A second phase of consultation is now underway, ahead of the Bill being debated in the May sittings.
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment wants to hear from anyone with an interest in the scheme.
We are seeking your feedback to:
- understand any concerns that you may have about the application of the Scheme to you
- respond to any questions that you may have about how the Scheme will apply
- consider any issues that may need to be addressed during development of the Regulations and over the next 18 to 24 months while the Scheme is being implemented.
Fill out the survey on this page to submit feedback.
All enquiries can be sent to commissioner.ocpe@nt.gov.au.
Submissions close at 11:59pm on Friday 3 May 2024.
Stay up to date
You can also register your interest to be kept up to date on this project, including information about forums and next steps. Fill out the form below.