When employers reach out to labour hire companies to find workers above and beyond what they would normally engage providers to supply labour for, then the Labour Hire Scheme is there to protect the workers. The labour hire licensing scheme also seeks to protect workers from harms including underpayment of wages, sub-standard accommodation and unsafe workplaces.
Labour hire workers
Victoria’s labour hire licensing scheme acts to protect workers and improve the integrity and transparency of the industry.
Broadly speaking, labour hire involves a business supplying workers to work in a host business in any industry. Labour hire is common in industry areas including:
- Horticulture
- Security
- Commercial cleaning
- Meat and poultry processing
Under Victorian law, labour hire providers must hold a licence, and anyone using their services must only use licensed providers. Victoria’s Labour Hire Authority (LHA) oversees the licensing scheme – including monitoring, compliance and enforcement. The scheme was established in 2018 following inquiries and reports that found widespread exploitation of labour hire workers and unlawful behaviour by providers.
LABOUR HIRE LICENSING
Labour hire providers must be run by ‘fit and proper’ people and must meet a range of obligations around worker pay, conditions and entitlements, including:
- tax and superannuation
- occupational health and safety
- workers compensation
- workplace entitlements
- migration
- accommodation standards.
Significant penalties may apply for breaches of the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic):
- over $600,000 for a company
- over $150,000 for an individual.
MONITORING COMPLIANCE
The Labour Hire Authority has a team of compliance officers who monitor, investigate and enforce compliance. Officers have a range of powers, including to:
- enter and search premises
- inspect or copy documents
- seek the assistance of other persons
- apply for a search warrant.
MORE INFORMATION
Visit the LHA website to learn more.
You can also contact LHA on 1300 545 200 or enquiries@labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au
Authorised and published by the Labour Hire Authority, Bendigo VIC 3550. For translating and interpreter assistance call 131 450.
If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can contact us through the National Relay Service via relayservice.gov.au
For more information or to subscribe to the Authority’s newsletter visit https://labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au/subscribe. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, contact enquiries@labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au or call 1300 545 200.
