Part 1—Preliminary
1 Name
This is the Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Regulation 2016.
3 Authority
This instrument is made under the Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1976.
5 Definitions
In this instrument:
Act means the Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1976.
child: see subsection 15(4).
de facto partner: see subsection 15(4).
district allowance: see subsection 15(1).
family: see subsection 15(4).
GBE (short for Government Business Enterprise): see subsection 9(4).
higher duties allowance: see subsection 14(1).
organisation: see subsection 10(2).
overtime payment: see subsection 19(2).
payment in the nature of a commuted allowance or penalty: see subsection 18(4).
relevant day: see subsection 14(6).
shift penalty payment: see subsection 18(2).
Part 2—Period and continuity of service
6 Purpose of this Part
This Part prescribes matters relevant to determining:
(a) whether a person is, or was, employed in Government Service or another qualifying service for the purpose of determining the person’s period and continuity of service; and
(b) the period of that employment.
Note: For the meaning of employment in Government Service, see section 10 of the Act.
7 Employment etc. by certain bodies
For the purposes of subparagraph 4(6)(c)(iii) of the Act, each of the following is a body corporate to which paragraph 4(6)(c) of the Act applies:
(a) AIDC Limited;
(b) ANL Limited;
(c) Telstra Corporation Limited;
(d) Telstra Group Limited;
(e) Telstra International (Aus) Limited;
(f) Telstra Limited;
(g) Telstra Towerco No. 1 Pty Ltd.
8 Previous service—State authorities and other prescribed employers
State authorities
(1) For the purposes of subsections 7(1) and (3) of the Act, a person, authority, institution or body referred to in an item of the table in clause 1 of Schedule 1 to this instrument is taken to be, or to have been, an authority of a State, but only:
(a) in the cases or circumstances (if any) specified in the item; and
(b) on or after a particular date, before a particular date or during a particular period (if any) specified in the item.
Previous employment
(2) For the purposes of subsections 7(2) and (3) of the Act, the previous employment of an employee in the service of a person, authority, institution or body referred to in an item of the table in clause 1 of Schedule 2 to this instrument is to be taken into account for the purposes of section 11 of the Act as if it had been employment in Government Service, but only:
(a) in the cases or circumstances (if any) specified in the item; and
(b) on or after a particular date, before a particular date or during a particular period (if any) specified in the item.
9 Previous service—principal executive offices
Previous employment in a principal executive office
(1) For the purposes of subsection 7(2) of the Act, the previous employment of an employee in the service of an employer who employs a person holding a principal executive office (other than an office held by the chief executive officer of a GBE) is to be taken into account for the purposes of section 11 of the Act as if it had been employment in Government Service.
(2) Subsection (1) has effect only in relation to the employment of a person in the service of the employer in the following circumstances:
(a) the person was previously the holder of the principal executive office;
(b) the person is subsequently employed in a qualifying service;
(c) the person is employed in a qualifying service on or after 31 May 1986.
Note: This subsection commenced on 31 May 1986.
Employment by holder of prescribed principal executive office
(3) For the purposes of paragraph 10(6)(ab) of the Act, a principal executive office, other than an office held by a chief executive officer of a GBE, is prescribed.
(4) In this instrument:
GBE (short for government business enterprise) means:
(a) a Commonwealth authority or Commonwealth company prescribed, before the repeal of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997, for the purposes of the definition of GBE in section 5 of that Act; or
(b) a Commonwealth entity or Commonwealth company prescribed for the purposes of the definition of government business enterprise in section 8 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
10 Continuity of service—executive office
(1) For the purposes of paragraph 12(11)(b) of the Act, an office in any of the following organisations is a prescribed office:
(a) an organisation, other than an organisation of the kind specified in paragraph 12(11)(a) of the Act, the membership of which includes employees;
(b) a council of organisations;
(c) an authorised deposit‑taking institution (ADI), within the meaning of section 5 of the Banking Act 1959, that:
(i) is permitted to use the expression building society, credit union or credit society, in relation to a financial business carried on by the ADI, under subsection 66(1) of the Banking Act 1959; and
(ii) conducts its business by or on behalf of an organisation for the benefit of its members or all employees;
(d) a cooperative society, or similar body, that:
(i) is registered or incorporated by or under a law of a State or Territory; and
(ii) conducts its business by or on behalf of an organisation for the benefit of its members or all employees.
(2) In this instrument, except in paragraph (1)(a) of this section:
organisation has the same meaning as in paragraph 12(11)(a) of the Act.
11 Period of service—maritime employees
For the purposes of paragraphs 15(1)(c), (d) and (e) of the Act, the following classifications of employees are a prescribed class of maritime employees:
(a) deck officers, including:
(i) chief deck officers; and
(ii) first, second, third and fourth mates;
(b) engineer officers, including:
(i) chief, second, third, fourth, fifth and junior engineers; and
(ii) first, second and third electricians;
(c) able and ordinary seafarers;
(d) crew attendants;
(e) lamp trimmers;
(f) storekeepers;
(g) greasers;
(h) motorers;
(i) stokers;
(j) oil burners;
(k) trimmers;
(l) wipers;
(m) boatswains;
(n) engine and boiler operators;
(o) deck workers;
(p) marine stewards, including:
(i) chief, second, extra second, second class, assistant second, third class, cabin, assistant bar and stores stewards; and
(ii) first saloon and second class pantry cooks; and
(iii) security guards; and
(iv) chief saloon, head, second and third waiters; and
(v) bar attendants; and
(vi) storekeepers; and
(vii) linen‑keepers; and
(viii) shop, milk bar, printing, first grade, bells, lounge, smokeroom, bedroom chief, captain’s, bridge utility, general utility, engineers’, second grade and assistant smokeroom stewards; and
(ix) second, third and fourth pantry cooks;
(q) marine cooks, including:
(i) chief, senior second, second, extra second, third, fourth, ship’s, assistant ship’s and assistant cooks; and
(ii) bakers, chief bakers and second bakers; and
(iii) butchers, chief butchers and second butchers; and
(iv) scullery workers; and
(v) cook’s attendants.
Part 3—Allowances included in salary
12 Purpose of this Part
For the purposes of section 8 of the Act, this Part sets out:
(a) the kinds of allowances to be included in salary; and
(b) the conditions (if any), or the extent to which, payments under the Act are to include allowances set out in this Part.
13 General allowances
Salary includes the following kinds of allowances:
(a) an allowance in respect of the possession of certain qualifications;
(b) an allowance in respect of the performance of duties additional to the ordinary duties of an office or position, not being an allowance in respect of the performance of such duties for a temporary period;
(c) an allowance in lieu of quarters;
(d) an allowance payable to a person as an officer‑in‑charge.
14 Higher duties allowance
(1) Salary includes an allowance (a higher duties allowance) payable to a person in respect of the performance of the duties of an office having a higher classification than the person’s own office.
(2) The conditions subject to which higher duties allowance is to be included in salary are all of the following:
(a) that the salary that has been paid or is payable to the employee in respect of the employee’s employment on the relevant day includes an amount in respect of higher duties allowance;
(b) that the approving authority has certified in writing that, for the period specified in the certificate, being a period that is the same as, or includes, the part of the period of long service leave in respect of which the salary is payable, the employee could, if the employee were not absent on long service leave, reasonably have been expected to perform:
(i) the duties that the employee was performing, or would, but for the employee’s absence on authorised leave, have performed on the relevant day; or
(ii) where the employee has performed, or would, but for the employee’s absence on authorised leave, have performed, for periods that were continuous with one another and with the period of long service leave, the duties of 2 or more offices each of which has a higher classification than the employee’s own classification—the duties of the office, being one of those last‑mentioned offices, specified in the certificate;
(c) that the period specified in the certificate referred to in paragraph (b) of this subsection is a period that commences on the expiration of:
(i) the relevant day; or
(ii) a period specified in a certificate given in accordance with paragraph (b) of this subsection by the approving authority in respect of another part of the period of long service leave of the employee.
(3) Where:
(a) the salary payable in accordance with section 20 of the Act to an employee referred to in subparagraph (2)(b)(ii) of this section, in respect of any part of a period of long service leave granted to the employee under section 16 or 17 of the Act is to include an amount in respect of higher duties allowance; and
(b) the approving authority has in accordance with paragraph (2)(b) of this section specified in a certificate given in respect of that part of the period of long service leave of the employee an office other than the office the duties of which the employee was performing, or would, but for the employee’s absence on authorised leave, have performed on the relevant day;
that amount is to be included in the salary payable to the employee in respect of that part of the period of long service leave to the extent only that it would be so included if the employee had performed on the relevant day the duties of the office specified in the certificate.
(4) The condition subject to which a payment in accordance with subsection 16(4) or 17(2) of the Act to a person who ceases to be an employee is to include an amount in respect of higher duties allowance is:
(a) that the person has, or would, but for the person’s absence on authorised leave, have, during a continuous period of not less than 12 months ending on the expiration of the relevant day, performed the duties of a single office having a higher classification than the person’s own office; or
(b) that, immediately before the person ceased to be an employee, the person has, or would, but for the person’s absence on authorised leave, have performed the duties of 2 or more offices each of which has a higher classification than the person’s own classification for periods that were continuous with one another and the aggregate of which is not less than 12 months.
(5) Where:
(a) a payment in accordance with subsection 16(4) or 17(2) of the Act to a person who ceases to be an employee is to include an amount in respect of higher duties allowance; and
(b) paragraph (4)(b) of this section applies to the person; and
(c) at any time during the period of 12 months immediately preceding the relevant day, the person performed the duties of an office in respect of which higher duties allowance was payable to the person at a rate that is lower than the rate of the allowance payable to the person for the duties performed by the person on the relevant day;
that amount is to be included in the payment referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection to the extent only that it would be so included if the person had performed on the relevant day the duties in respect of which higher duties allowance was payable to the person at the lower or lowest rate, as the case may be, at which such an allowance was payable to the person during that period of 12 months.
(6) In this instrument:
relevant day:
(a) in relation to an employee who has been granted long service leave, means the day immediately preceding the day on which that leave commences; and
(b) in relation to a person who ceases to be an employee, means the day on which the person ceases to be an employee.
15 District allowance
(1) Salary includes an allowance (a district allowance) payable to a person by reason of the fact that the person is required to perform duties in a particular district in Australia or in an external Territory, subject to this section.
(2) Salary includes a district allowance only on the condition that during the period of the person’s long service leave:
(a) the person remains in the district in respect of which the allowance is payable; or
(b) if the person is absent from the district, the person’s spouse, de facto partner or family remains in the district during any part of the period that the person is absent from the district.
(3) Where:
(a) a district allowance is payable at a particular rate, or in accordance with a particular scale of rates, in the case of persons:
(i) who are stationed at, or required to perform duty at, and to reside in, an established camp in the district; or
(ii) who are required, as members, whether regular or otherwise, of a camping party, to camp in the district elsewhere than at an established camp;
and at another rate, or in accordance with another scale of rates, in the case of other persons who are stationed at, and reside in, the district; and
(b) the person is in receipt of that allowance at the rate, or in accordance with the scale of rates, applicable in the case of persons referred to in subparagraph (a)(i) or (ii) of this subsection;
the district allowance is included in the salary of the person to the extent only that it would be included if the person were stationed at, and residing in, the district but was not residing in an established camp in the district, or camping, as a member of a camping party, in the district elsewhere than at an established camp, as the case may be.
(4) In this instrument:
child, of a person means:
(a) an adopted child, a stepchild or an exnuptial child of the person; or
(b) someone who is a child of the person within the meaning of the Family Law Act 1975.
de facto partner has the meaning given by the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (see section 2D of that Act).
family, of a person, includes the following:
(a) a spouse, de facto partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of the person;
(b) a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of a spouse or de facto partner of the person.
16 Tool allowance
Salary includes an allowance payable to an employee in respect of the supply and maintenance by the employee of tools and equipment ordinarily required by the employee for performance of the employee’s work.
Part 4—Payments not included in salary
17 Purpose of this Part
For the purposes of section 8A of the Act, this Part sets out:
(a) the kinds of payments that are not included in salary; and
(b) the extent to which, or the circumstances in which, some kinds of payments are not included in salary.
18 Shift penalty payments
(1) A shift penalty payment is a kind of payment not included in salary.
(2) A payment is a shift penalty payment if it:
(a) does not come within a single overall rate of salary; and
(b) is in the nature of an allowance or payment that is additional to the relevant ordinary rate of salary; and
(c) satisfies the criteria stated in subsection (3).
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(c), the following criteria are stated:
(a) the payment is payable because the employee to whom it is payable undertakes the employee’s normal duties:
(i) outside the hours that are regarded in the relevant industry as the normal hours of work or the standard hours of work; or
(ii) from time to time during those normal hours of work but as part of a pattern of working hours that are outside those standard hours of work;
(b) the payment is paid:
(i) to an employee for work that the employee has in fact undertaken; or
(ii) to all employees within a class of employees as a payment in the nature of a commuted allowance or penalty.
(4) For the purposes of subparagraph (3)(b)(ii), a payment is a payment in the nature of a commuted allowance or penalty if it is paid on the basis of liability to undertake shift work (whether or not shift work is in fact undertaken to any particular extent, or at all) and instead of additional payment for shift work in fact undertaken.
19 Overtime payments
(1) An overtime payment is a kind of payment not included in salary.
(2) A payment is an overtime payment if it is:
(a) a payment, however described, for overtime that has been undertaken; or
(b) a commuted overtime payment to all employees within a class of employees; or
(c) a payment to an employee for all of the employee’s overtime work regardless of its length or frequency; or
(d) any other payment instead of a payment for overtime.
20 Restriction, or on‑call, allowance
A payment in the nature of a restriction, or on‑call, allowance is a kind of payment not included in salary.
Part 5—Transitional, savings and application provisions
21 Repeal of the Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Regulations 1957
(1) This instrument does not apply in relation to a person, and the Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Regulations 1957 continue to apply in relation to the person, to the extent that the person’s entitlements in relation to the grant of long service leave (whether in respect of a period of service, continuity of service or an allowance or another payment) would otherwise be reduced or adversely affected by the repeal of the Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Regulations 1957 and the making of this instrument.
Note: The Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Regulations 1957 are repealed by this instrument (see Schedule 3 to this instrument as made).
(2) A certificate made for the purposes of paragraph 4B(2)(b) of the Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Regulations 1957, before the repeal of those Regulations, has effect after that repeal as if it had been made for the purposes of paragraph 14(2)(b) of this instrument.