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Labour hire hosts are the target of a new communications campaign by the Labour Hire Authority (LHA), to raise awareness of their obligation to only use licensed providers.

Building on earlier campaigns targeting host businesses in horticulture and meat and poultry processing, this new campaign targets hosts in all industries.

The campaign launches in August across radio, digital, social and traditional media channels, and will run through September.

Businesses who use labour hire services such as commercial cleaning, security or temporary staffing are often less aware of their labour hire licensing obligations.

The campaign informs hosts that even if they are doing the right thing in other aspects of their business, checking a provider’s labour hire licence should be part of their usual business processes.

Information for hosts – along with English and translated versions of posters, handouts and digital assets – will be available later in August for businesses and stakeholders via the Host page on the LHA website.

Advertisements encourage hosts – regardless of their industry area – to use the tools on the LHA website to check the labour hire licences of providers they have engaged or are seeking to engage.

Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner, Steve Dargavel, said the campaign will help to ensure host businesses have the tools and information to meet their obligations.

“Businesses face significant penalties and disruption to their business if they use unlicensed providers,” Commissioner Dargavel said.

Under the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic), penalties for using or providing unlicensed labour hire services can exceed:

• $650,000 for a corporation
• $160,000 for an individual.

In 2024, following LHA legal action, a company and its director were issued $264,352 in penalties for engaging unlicensed labour hire providers to source workers in the Cobram area.

Protect your business and your workers – only use licensed providers

Hosts can take two quick actions to protect their business and support LHA in working towards a fairer industry for businesses and workers:

• Check the licence of any current providers is active on the Labour Hire Licence Register.
• Subscribe to be notified of any changes to providers’ licence status through the Follow my Providers tool.

Before engaging a new provider

• Check the provider is licensed using the Labour Hire Licence Register.
• Do not rely on paper documentation – it could be illegitimate or out of date.
• Check the age of the provider’s company and their industry details.
• Ask for evidence of the provider’s company structure, hierarchy of control and contracting arrangements.
• Confirm the business offering services is the same as the one on the Register:
• Note who is named as running the business, including any nominated officers.
• If the person approaching you is not one of those people, confirm their connection to the licensed provider and authority to act, and ask to see an identity document.
• Contact the provider’s nominated officer using the details on the Register, to satisfy yourself that the person or business is the licensed provider.
• Keep a record of these checks for reference.

When engaging a new provider

• Sign a written contract that properly identifies who they are and ensures workers will be paid the correct wages and entitlements.
• Include clear and specific expectations of the provider, including an obligation to advise you of any subcontracting arrangements or changes to their business or licence status.
• Set clear expectations that the provider must comply with all workplace laws.

For more information, visit the Check a provider’s licence status page.