Changes for Labour Hire Companies
01/06/2017
In December 2016, the Queensland Government published an issues paper titled ‘Regulation of the Labour Hire Industry 2016’ seeking submissions from stakeholders on a labour hire licensing scheme in Queensland. Andrew MacGillivray, Senior Associate discusses.
The Queensland Government has now released the Labour Hire Licensing Bill 2017 (Bill), seeking to establish a Government administered licensing scheme to enforce licensing obligations for labour hire companies operating in Queensland. The requirement to be licensed and the requirement on users of labour hire providers to use only licensed operators will be supported by a public register of licensed providers to choose from.
In summary, the Bill is seeking to achieve the following key objectives:
- Establish a mandatory business licensing scheme for the labour hire industry in Queensland;
- Require labour hire providers to be licensed;
- Require persons who engage labour hire providers to only use licensed ones;
- Requiring licensees to satisfy a ‘fit and proper person’ test to establish that they are capable of providing the service;
- Require regular reporting from each licensee;
- Providing strict penalties for breaches of their obligations; and
- Providing awareness and enforcement through compliance.