New scheme allows the community workforce to maintain their entitlements
South Australia’s new portable long service leave scheme for community services workers has officially bee implemented following the passage of legislation nearly a year ago.
The scheme, which took effect on October 1, allows workers in the community services sector to carry their accrued long service leave entitlements as they move between employers within the industry. Traditionally, workers in South Australia were entitled to 13 weeks of long service leave after 10 years of continuous service with a single employer.
Under the new arrangement, service across multiple employers in the community sector will count toward that same entitlement, meaning workers can now access long service leave after 10 years in the sector overall.
According to the attorney-general’s department, the reform recognises the mobility of the community services workforce and highlights its support for some of South Australia’s most vulnerable residents, including those accessing homelessness, family, and domestic violence services.
“Community sector workers are overwhelmingly women, and many never get the chance to take long service leave despite decades of service because of the need to move between different employers during their careers,” the department stated.
“The new scheme will create an incentive for workers to retain their skills in the sector, reduce staff turnover, improving worker satisfaction, and minimise the cost to business of recruiting and training replacement staff.”
Since the legislation passed Parliament nearly a year ago, the Board overseeing the scheme has focused on preparing the sector for the transition, the department noted. It has also released toolkits, instructional videos, FAQs, and hosted webinars and regional visits to help employers and workers understand the new system.
The scheme follows similar systems already operating in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales, and is based on South Australia’s long-standing construction industry model.
