As you may be aware, the Department of Customer Service (DCS)  has identified an administrative oversight in the payment of Laundry Allowance for staff within SafeWork NSW, Fair Trading and Regulatory Services, and the Building Commission.

To enable resolution of the identified Laundry Allowance payment oversight, a decision was made to develop a taskforce dedicated to:

• conduct discovery of impacted employees to ensure correct payments are made moving forward​
• retrospectively addressing the unpaid amounts for all impacted employees over the preceding six-year period.
• rectifying processes to ensure governance and compliance to award conditions.​

Steps were taken to rectify the oversight and commence back payment to all eligible employees. Eligible employees were informed individually of the back payment amount the Department of Customer Service believes they are entitled to receive by way of email commencing week of 12 May 2025.

Payroll will process any back payments in an upcoming fortnightly pay cycle and eligible employees will begin receiving laundry allowance payments moving forward.

The PSA is aware that members have questions about the payments and advises the following:

• For financial matters there is a six-year statute of limitations which is why the payment has been retrospectively addressed over the preceding six years and not a longer timeframe
• Laundry Allowance is payable when an employer makes it mandatory for an employee to wear a uniform. It is not mandatory to wear a uniform when you are on leave so the allowance is not paid when you take leave
• If you believe that the amount you have been back paid is incorrect, please submit a GovConnect ticket showing your working out. Then email the ticket number to HR on  

If you have further concerns please raise them in the first instance with your local delegates.

Your Delegates

Maree Davidson
Toni Mckay
Gavin Parker
Liam O’Dwyer
Dave Chamings
Jodie Cleaves
Louisa Burns