Labour hire licence applications received before 30 June 2020

The Labour Hire Authority recognises that these are unprecedented times. The coronavirus situation is affecting labour hire hosts, providers and workers and has resulted in changes to the labour hire industry. Some labour providers have lost business, other providers are experiencing an increased demand for labour hire workers and an increased supply of workers looking for work, and new providers are seeking to supply workers to various industries during this pandemic.

It is for this reason the Authority will not take enforcement action against a provider for providing labour hire services without a licence, or a host who enters into an arrangement with that provider, where a complete application is submitted to the Authority before midnight 30 June 2020 and there is no evidence of non-compliance.

It is vital that all providers who are compliant with their legal obligations and intend to continue to provide labour hire services in Victoria in accordance with labour hire laws are licensed to:

• prevent the exploitation of workers by labour hire provides and their hosts, and
• improve the transparency and integrity of the labour hire industry.

The Authority has made this operational policy decision to support providers, hosts and workers during this extraordinary situation, while continuing to ensure a fair working environment for labour hire across Victoria.

This approach is in accordance with the guiding principles set out in the Authority’s Compliance and Enforcement Policy which is available on the Authority’s website and the key objective of protecting workers from exploitation, while operating as a fair and proportionate regulator.

Labour hire providers and hosts remain responsible for complying with Victorian and Commonwealth workplace laws such as occupational health and safety laws, workers compensation laws, superannuation laws and applicable accommodation and transportation standards.

To support hosts, providers and workers during the coronavirus pandemic, the Authority has also published details of licensed labour hire providers and applicants including the industries to which they nominated supplying workers. This will particularly help hosts who need labour hire services in industries such as healthcare, commercial cleaning, transportation and warehousing, horticulture, and meat and poultry processing.

As Victoria’s labour hire industry regulator, the Authority continues to assess labour hire licence applications and anticipates resolving the majority of applications by 30 June 2020. The Authority also continues to undertake education, compliance and enforcement activities and reminds providers that compliance with workplace laws is a requirement to obtain and maintain a labour hire licence.

The Labour Hire Authority is here to help. The Authority encourages you to share this information with your networks to inform labour hire providers who are yet to apply to do so before 30 June 2020.