Frequently asked questions

About the Scheme

Who is QLeave?

The Queensland Government has introduced legislation that provides community services workers with access to portable long service leave. QLeave administers Queensland's portable long service leave scheme for workers and employers.

What is portable long service leave?

The community services industry experiences high rates of insecure employment and employee mobility due to work that is reliant on funding. This means that workers often miss out on accessing paid long service leave to take a well-earned break.

Under the Community Services Industry (Portable Long Service Leave) Act 2020, you can accrue long service leave benefits based on your service across the industry, not just the length of time spent with an individual employer.

How does it work?

The community services industry scheme started on 1 January 2021. Each quarter, your employer submits a return detailing your wages and pays a levy to QLeave. When you have seven years of service recorded with QLeave, you're entitled to 6.1 weeks of long service leave paid by us.

Joining QLeave

Who is eligible?

Workers employed by a community services provider  in Queensland to:

• perform community services work, or
• support, supervise or manage the provision of community services.

This includes workers who:

• are engaged as a full-time, part-time or casual employee
• are engaged under a contract for service, including labour-hire workers
• operate as a sole trader (registration optional).

Who is not eligible?

Some community services workers are not eligible to join QLeave.

These include:

• federal, state and local government workers
• workers engaged to perform work unrelated to the purpose of providing community services
• workers in standalone childcare and early childhood education centres, kindergartens and school-based childcare services
• workers employed in a nursing home or retirement village operated by a standalone aged care provider or service.

How do I register?

Your employer will register you with QLeave. You can contact us if you believe you are eligible for the scheme but you have not been registered.

How much does it cost?

There is no cost for workers to register with QLeave.

My registration

What information will QLeave keep about me?

Under the Community Services Industry (Portable Long Service Leave) Act 2020, we must keep a record of:

• your name, date of birth and address
• your mobile number and email address
• your employer details, including their name and address
• the type of work that you perform
• the number of days you’ve worked with each employer
• the total ordinary wages you've been paid for work completed
• the date on which you became a registered worker in the scheme
• your long service leave entitlement
• details of any long service leave you have taken with an interstate scheme or any other long service leave taken
• whether your registration is active or inactive.

I'm changing jobs and have pre-1 January 2021 long service leave. Does this transfer to QLeave?

No, only the work you've performed since the scheme started on 1 January 2021 counts towards your portable long service leave entitlement.

Who should add service, me or my employer?

Your employer is required to report the periods you work and your ordinary wages to QLeave. Please check your service record carefully to make sure we have a record of all the work you've performed.

How do I check my service record?

You can log in to QLeave community services worker portal to check your record and update your details. Your record will only change after your employer lodges their return each quarter.

How do I login to the worker portal?

Registering to use the worker portal is simple. All you need to provide is your QLeave worker number, surname and date of birth. You'll receive your worker number in an email from us once you've been registered with the scheme. After you register for portal  access, you'll be able to use your email address and password to login at any time. Click here for instructions to register for the worker portal.

What do I do if I change employers?

If you change employers you will need to give your QLeave number to your new employer. Your new employer will then add you to their record so they can report your eligible work to us each quarter.

How long will my QLeave registration last?

Your registration will continue as long as you're employed in the community services industry and performing eligible work. The service added to your record will move with you as you change employers and work across the industry. We'll only cancel your registration if you have no service recorded for more than four consecutive years, or we're not satisfied that you have been, or are, performing eligible community services work.

What are service credits and how many can I earn?

The total number of service credits that you may earn in any financial year is 365, irrespective of the number of employers you work for. You need to accrue 2,555 credits with QLeave (equivalent to seven years of service) to be able to make a claim.

My employer hasn't recorded my service - what can I do?

If you notice service is missing from your long service leave statement, please contact your employer/s and ask them to supply us with the amended details. If you’re unable to contact the employer/s or they refuse to add service for you, you can lodge a complaint with QLeave. Find out more.

Claiming long service leave

When can I make a claim?

When you have seven years (2,555 credits) of service recorded with QLeave, you’re entitled to 6.1 weeks of long service leave paid by us.

How much will I be paid when I take long service leave?

There’s no set dollar amount for long service leave payments. We calculate the payment amount when you lodge your claim. It is based on your wage and the number of years you have recorded with QLeave.

How can I make a claim?

Until January 2028, you will only be able to claim long service leave from your employer. Once you have seven years of service recorded with QLeave (a minimum of 2,555 service credits), you will be able to claim through us.

Please note, only the work you’ve performed since the scheme started on 1 January 2021 counts towards your portable long service leave entitlement.