Can I get long service leave?

Who is eligible?

Tradespersons, trades assistants and labourers who perform building and construction work in Queensland and are engaged:

• as a trainee or apprentice
• as a casual, part-time or full-time employee
• as a sole trader subcontractor (providing substantially labour only)
• as a foreperson or sub-foreperson (performing building and supervision work)
• by a labour-hire company

Some company directors who perform building and construction work may also be eligible to join.

If you’re eligible, you can click here to join QLeave online, or here to download a Worker Membership Application form. You may also be registered when your employer submits a Worker Service Return at the end of the financial year.

Who is not eligible?

• people operating as a partner in a partnership
• trustees of a trust
• sole traders working direct for the public
• company directors on other than wages
• subcontractors who provide principal materials (such as carpenter-timber or bricklayer-bricks) or significant plant (such as a bobcat) as part of the contract
• individuals who are paid to achieve a stated result or outcome and supply all, or substantially all, of the plant and equipment or tools of trade needed to perform the work and are, or would be, liable for the cost of fixing a fault with the work performed
• federal, state and local government workers*
• employees of Mt Isa Mines
• persons whose work falls within the type covered by wage groups C1, C2(a), C2(b), C3 or C4 of the Engineering Award – State
• individuals for whom a personal services business determination is in effect for the individual performing the work under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cwlth), Section 87-60.

*Local and state government apprentices and trainees can have their indentured time counted towards their service record if they move into eligible work in the private sector (from 1 January 2001 only).

Other workers involved in the building and construction industry that are not eligible to join QLeave are:

• professional and managerial staff
• clerical staff
• ancillary staff (such as storeman, delivery drivers, mechanics, estimators)
• safety officers (from 1 January 2012)