Answers to Questions

Long Service Leave Liability

17 The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (3 December 2014). (First Session) For each department or agency then reporting to the minister—

1. What is the estimated long service leave liability as at 30 June 2014, in days and dollars?

2. What is the highest long service leave entitlement that has not been taken for any employee, as at 30 June 2014, in days and dollars?

3. (a) What funding, as at 30 June 2014, was held in accounts controlled or administered by the department or agency to fund long service leave; and

(b) What were the names of the accounts and total funds held in these accounts as at 30 June 2014?

4. (a) What policies, and monitoring of these policies, are in place to ensure that there is not a build-up of long service leave liability within the department or agency; and

(b) Are employees required to take long service leave after a certain level of entitlement has accrued?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers): The Premier has advised the following:

This response covers portions of the following portfolios the Department of the Premier and Cabinet reports to:

Premier

Attorney General

Minister for State Development

Minister for the Public Sector

The estimated long service leave liability as at 30 June 2014, as recorded in the department's 2013-14 Annual Report, is $41,077 million, which equates to 202,438 working days.

The highest long service leave entitlement that has not been taken for any employee, as at 30 June 2014, in working days is 468, and the employee with the highest long service leave entitlement in dollars is $0.521million.

The department has sufficient net assets to fund its liabilities including leave entitlements.

With respect to the granting of long service leave, the department adheres to the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Determination 3.1: Employment Conditions—Leave. The department has policies in place to support this Determination.

The Commissioner's Determination provides that employees cannot be directed to apply for and take long service leave. However, there are flexible arrangements in place to support and encourage an employee who wishes to take long service leave, including a policy that supports the payment in lieu of long service leave and taking long service leave on half pay.