Employer obligations

As an employer you have legal obligations to:

• check that your workers and volunteers hold a Registration to Work with Vulnerable People (RWVP) before they start working or volunteering for you
• make sure your workers or volunteers continue to hold a current RWVP. We recommend you have processes and checks in place for this
• make sure your workers or volunteers have your organisation listed on their RWVP. If they haven’t, you must add your organisation details to their RWVP within 10 working days of the change. This ensures we can notify you if their application or existing RWVP is suspended, interim barred, cancelled, or refused
• remove your organisation details from a worker or volunteer's RWVP if they no longer work or volunteer with you, within 10 working days of the change.

We may request information from you at any time: for example, to check that all your workers who should hold a RWVP do and that it is current.

See our fact sheet for employers (PDF, 836.5 KB).

Use our Employer Portal

To help you meet the above obligations, use our Employer Portal. You can use the portal to register your organisation's details and manage the RWVP details of your workers and volunteers.

Go to the Employer Portal.

Can a worker or volunteer start work while their RWVP application is being processed?

If you are an employer, a new worker or volunteer can start with you while their RWVP application is being processed. You must:

• have agreed to engage the person to work or volunteer in the regulated activity
• check to make sure their RWVP has been lodged and is ‘pending’
• make sure the person has named you as their employer
• make sure the worker or volunteer is supervised by someone who holds a RWVP at all times while they are engaged in the regulated activity
• have a ‘risk management plan’ in place (see below).

About the risk management plan

Your risk management plan states the control measure you will have in place to mitigate the risk of harm to vulnerable people (including children) while your new worker or volunteer’s RWVP is being assessed.

Your plan must:

• be specific to your workplace
• describe the regulated activity the worker/volunteer will be doing
• outline the control measures you will put in place. You must have another registered worker or volunteer supervise them at all times while they are engaged in the regulated activity. Other controls include varying their hours or duties until they receive the outcome of their application.

See also Offences and penalties.