Get ready for a portable leave scheme for the services industry
We’re setting up a portable long service leave scheme for the services industry.
The expanded scheme combines the new industries with the existing contract cleaning industry scheme, to become the new services industry scheme.
If you’re an eligible employer in the services industry, you must register with us after the scheme starts in April 2025.
If you’re employed and doing relevant work, within the services industry, your employer must register you.
Relevant work in the services industry
When the services industry scheme starts in 2025, eligible employers in these industries within the ACT must register both:
- their business
- their employees who perform relevant work.
Cleaning services
The scheme covers existing and new contract cleaning services.
Relevant work means:
- work that has a sole or main purpose of making or keeping premises clean
- collecting or sorting waste at or for a waste management facility, provided that the employer has a contract with the ACT Government.
This includes all employers and workers currently covered under the Long Service Leave (Portable Schemes) ACT 2009 for the contract cleaning industry.
Hairdressing and beauty services
The scheme covers businesses classified under ANZSIC Division S Class 9511.
This includes services with workers who provide hairdressing or beauty services, including
- applying makeup
- facials
- nail care services.
Accommodation and food services
The scheme covers businesses providing services classified under ANZSIC Division H.
This includes short-term accommodation for visitors, meals, snacks and beverages for consumption by customers (whether at the provider’s principal place of business or elsewhere).
Businesses not covered under the scheme
The scheme does not cover businesses which provide:
- medical skin care services such as cosmetic surgery and dermatology
- medical or surgical hair replacement or transplant services
- medical tattooing and piercing services
- massage parlour operations under brothel services
- long-term property, including long-term caravans and cabins
- retail operators which buy, make or sell goods to the general public
- bakeries where the business is primarily retailing baked goods
- stores which sell liquor for drinking off premises
- casinos and other gambling institutions
- amusement and recreation parks
- theatre restaurants
- any club or facility covered under ANZSIC Divisions, such as Division R – Arts and Recreation Services.
Registering for portable long service leave in the services industry
Eligible employers who have employees providing relevant services must register under the services industry scheme to be compliant with legislation.
Employers who have employees providing relevant services, must register from the commencement of the scheme.
Employers already registered with ACT Leave for the contract cleaning industry will not need to re-register. They will automatically become part of the services industry scheme.
Amount of long service leave for workers in the services industry
Workers in the services industry will be able to take leave after 7 years of working with registered employers.
- Portable long service leave scheme for services
- Relevant work in the services industry
- Cleaning services
- Hairdressing and beauty services
- Accommodation, food, beverage and hospitality services
- Businesses that are not covered by ACT Leave
- Registering for portable long service leave
- Paying the levy
- Amount of leave
