Charges filed against courier business for failure to pay long service leave
Workforce Inspectorate Victoria
Workforce Inspectorate Victoria has commenced a prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria against Bhumi Enterprise Pty Ltd alleging the business contravened section 9(2) of the Long Service Leave Act 2018 (Vic).
It is alleged the parcel courier and freight delivery reseller withheld more than $9,000 in long service leave from a former employee for more than 15 months.
The maximum penalty for failing to pay long service leave at the time of the alleged offence was over $11,800 per day the entitlement remained unpaid.
The matter is listed for mention at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 19 November 2026.
Workforce Inspectorate Victoria will make no further comment while the matter is before the court.
Background on Victoria’s Long Service Leave Act
The Long Service Leave Act 2018 is a Victorian law that provides long service leave for employees who have worked continuously with one employer for at least 7 years. It applies to work that is:
- full time
- part time
- casual
- seasonal
- fixed term.
After at least 7 years’ continuous employment with one employer, an employee is entitled to take their long service leave and be paid any unused long service leave entitlement when their employment ends.
Most Victorian employees will be covered by and entitled to long service leave in accordance with the Act, unless they have a long service leave entitlement from another source, such as under other legislation, a registered agreement, award or another law.
Employers should be aware that where a business is sold, as was the case here, and an employee remains with the business, the new employer becomes responsible for paying the employee’s long service leave entitlement in full when their employment ends.
For more information on long service leave visit Workforce Inspectorate Victoria’s website at wiv.vic.gov.au or call 1800 287 287.
Contact details:
Email [email protected], or call 0486 163 446