Portable Long Service Leave for Community Services Employers: What You Need to Know

Long service leave is usually linked to an employee's service with one employer. Portable long service leave works differently.

For eligible workers in certain industries, including community services, long service leave can follow them when they move between employers within the industry.

Portable long service leave schemes operate at state and territory level, so the rules that apply depend on where the work is performed and the scheme covering the employer and workers. Community services schemes currently operate in the ACT, NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

For community services employers, understanding whether your organisation is covered, which workers are eligible and what employer obligations apply is an important part of payroll and employment compliance.

What is portable long service leave?

Portable long service leave allows eligible workers to build an entitlement based on their service to an industry rather than only their service with one employer.

This is particularly relevant in community services, where employees may move between organisations because of funding arrangements, contracts, career changes or the nature of the sector.

Instead of starting their long service leave service period again when they change employers, eligible workers can continue to build recognised service within the relevant portable scheme.

However, portable long service leave is not governed by one national set of rules. Each state and territory scheme has its own legislation, eligibility requirements, registration process, levy arrangements and rules for claiming benefits.

Where do community services portable schemes operate?

Community services portable long service leave schemes currently operate in:

• Australian Capital Territory

• New South Wales

• Queensland

• South Australia

• Victoria

The relevant authority and scheme requirements differ between jurisdictions. Employers should check the scheme that applies to their workforce rather than assuming that coverage or obligations are the same across Australia.

Recent changes in NSW and South Australia

Portable long service leave has been expanding across the community services sector, with significant changes recently taking effect in NSW and South Australia.

New South Wales

The NSW Community Services Industry Portable Long Service Leave Scheme commenced on 1 July 2025.

The scheme covers eligible community services work in NSW. Coverage is not determined simply by an employee's job title or profession.

Under the NSW legislation, community service work includes work providing a community service or work for an employer whose predominant purpose is to provide a community service. The legislation identifies 31 types of community services.

This distinction is particularly important for allied health providers.

An allied health professional is not automatically covered simply because they work in an allied health profession. Employers need to consider the nature and purpose of the organisation and the work being performed.

Eligible NSW employers must register with the Long Service Corporation, lodge quarterly service returns and pay the applicable levy for eligible workers.

South Australia

South Australia's new community services portable long service leave scheme commenced on 1 October 2025.

The scheme allows eligible community services workers to build long service leave based on their service across the sector rather than only with one employer.

Employers in the covered sector are required to register and participate in the scheme, with employer contributions funding the portable entitlement.

The SA scheme provides for an entitlement of up to 13 weeks after the equivalent of 10 years' service, subject to the rules of the scheme.

What about Queensland and Victoria?

Community services portable schemes are already established in several other jurisdictions.

In Queensland, the Community Services Industry portable long service leave scheme has operated since 2021. QLeave administers the scheme, and covered employers must register and submit quarterly returns.

In Victoria, the Portable Long Service Benefits Scheme covers community services, contract cleaning and security. Covered community services employers must register, submit quarterly returns, pay the applicable levy and keep relevant records.

The ACT also has a portable long service leave scheme covering community services.

Why does this matter for allied health providers?

Allied health organisations can sit across different regulatory and employment arrangements, and portable long service leave coverage is not necessarily determined by the profession of the employee.

For example, in NSW, an allied health professional working for an organisation whose predominant purpose is providing community services may fall within the portable scheme, while an allied health professional working in a private health practice whose primary purpose is clinical service delivery may not.

This means employers should not assume that all allied health workers are covered, or that none are covered.

The organisation's structure, purpose, services and the work performed need to be considered against the relevant state or territory scheme.

What do employers need to check?

If your organisation operates in community services, check:

1. Which jurisdiction applies?

Identify where your employees perform the relevant work and which portable long service leave scheme applies.

2. Is your organisation covered?

Check the scheme's definition of the relevant industry or community service. Coverage can depend on the nature and purpose of the organisation and the work performed.

3. Which workers are eligible?

Eligibility can differ between schemes and may depend on factors including employment status, the work performed and the employer's coverage.

4. Are you registered?

Registration is compulsory for covered employers in the relevant schemes. For example, NSW and Victoria require covered community services employers to register with their respective portable long service leave authorities.

5. Are returns and levies being managed correctly?

Portable schemes generally require employers to report information about eligible workers and pay contributions or levies.

These requirements need to be built into payroll and HR processes so that service and wage information is recorded accurately.

6. Are your records accurate?

Employers should ensure their payroll and employment records contain the information needed to meet the relevant scheme's reporting requirements.

This is particularly important for organisations employing workers across multiple locations or operating across different service areas.

What if your organisation operates across multiple states?

This is where portable long service leave can become more complex.

An organisation may have employees performing similar roles in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, but the applicable scheme, eligibility rules, levy and reporting requirements may differ.

Employers should therefore avoid applying one state's process across their entire workforce without checking the relevant legislation and scheme requirements.

A payroll process that works for one jurisdiction may not automatically satisfy another.

Portable long service leave is a payroll compliance issue

Portable long service leave should form part of an organisation's broader payroll and employment compliance framework.

For community services employers, this means regularly checking:

• whether the organisation remains covered by the relevant scheme

• whether new workers need to be registered

• whether service and wage information is being reported correctly

• whether levies are being paid on time

• whether payroll records support the information submitted

• whether changes to the organisation's services or structure affect scheme coverage.

The rules can change, and new schemes may be introduced or amended. Employers should check the current requirements with the relevant state or territory authority.

Need help reviewing your obligations?

Portable long service leave can be particularly challenging for organisations operating across multiple jurisdictions or employing a mix of community services, allied health and other workers.

Workplace Plus can help employers review payroll and employment compliance requirements and identify where further checking may be needed.

Explore our Payroll Compliance Solutions or book a confidential discovery call with Workplace Plus.