Portable Long Service Leave Win Closer for Community Services Workers

In a huge win for AWU members working in the community services sector, the union has secured support for portable long service leave. 

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As part of the Queensland Government’s Portable Long Service Leave for the Community Services
Sector Stakeholder Taskforce, the AWU has been fighting for portable long service leave for SACS workers.

While community sector workers are providing support to some of the most vulnerable people in the community, most workers have never been able to accrue long service leave.

On 14th February, the Queensland Parliamentary Committee released its report on the Community Services Industry (Portable Long Service Leave) Bill 2019 recommending the bill be passed.  Read the recommendation here.

The Bill will be presented for a second reading in Parliament, debate and then voting before it can come into effect.

Once the legislation is passed in the Queensland Parliament, it will enable Queensland community services workers access to Portable Long Service Leave.

This would include contract workers who are providing community services in:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community services
• accommodation support services
• advocacy services
• alcohol and other drug services
• child safety and support services
• community development services
• community education services
• community legal services
• counselling services
• disability emergency response services
• disability support services
• employment services
• family and domestic violence services
• family day care services
• financial counselling services
• foster care and out-of-home care services
• home and community care services
• homelessness support services
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex services
• mental health services
• migrant and multicultural support services
• offenders transitioning services
• respite services
• seniors community support services
• social housing services
• violence prevention services
• women’s services
• youth justice services
• youth support services

We’ve spent years fighting for this change, because making sure AWU members have access to fair entitlements is a priority.

We’ll be watching the debate in parliament closely and we’ll make sure to update AWU members when these laws become official.

If you have any questions, make sure you speak to your AWU Delegate or Organiser.