The new long-service regulations will come into effect from 1 September. Photo: WA Parliament/Facebook.
The WA Government has introduced new long-service leave regulations to shore up the entitlements for the state’s 23,000 local government workers.
Long-service leave for WA local governments is provided by the regulations in accordance with Section 5.48 of the Local Government Act 1995, under which local government employees have an entitlement to 13 weeks of long-service leave for every 10 years worked in the sector.
The new regulations are designed to improve the operation of the local government long-service leave portability scheme, which the government says is an integral part of local government employment conditions.
This will allow staff who change their employment from one local government to another to retain their previous long-service leave entitlements and continue to accrue them in their new roles.
The new regulations to come into effect from 1 September include:
- A longer permitted period of break between local government sector employers that maintains the employee’s continuity of service
- Allowing for parental leave pay from the Australian Government to count towards long-service leave accrual
- Allowing advanced long-service leave and the cashing out of long-service leave
- Clear protections for the entitlements in the event of unfair or unlawful dismissal
- Specific benefits for employees who have worked casually or part time or who have moved between employers.
WA Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley said replacing the old regulations was just one part of the Government’s reform agenda designed to deliver the biggest improvements to the local government system in 25 years.
“These changes bring clarity to employees’ entitlements in different situations, and we expect it will be easier for local government employers to calculate and administer long-service leave,” she said.
“Ensuring part-time or casual workers have fair access to long-service leave is especially important for women and younger people in our local government workforce.
“Tens of thousands of Western Australians serve our community by working in local government – their dedication needs to be recognised and fairly rewarded through long-service leave.
“I would like to thank sector unions, the WA Local Government Association and Local Government Professionals WA for their input in developing these reforms.”
