He had the car for 20 years - then took voluntary redundancy
A government worker who spent more than 20 years inspecting cars could not convince a commission that his company car should have counted toward his redundancy payout.
The NSW Industrial Relations Commission dismissed proceedings brought by the Public Service Association (PSA) on November 10, 2026, finding that the phrase "weeks' pay" in the NSW Government's Workforce Mobility Placement and Employee Transition Policy means ordinary monetary pay - not broader remuneration that captures non-cash benefits like a departmental vehicle.
The worker was an automotive inspector for the Department of Customer Service. His job took him into motor vehicle repair businesses to check regulatory compliance. Throughout his employment, the department gave him a car for both work and private use - and covered registration, insurance, maintenance, petrol and NRMA membership on top.
Then came voluntary redundancy.
His employment ended on March 24, 2026. His annual salary at that point was $114,461. He received 52 weeks' severance - four weeks' notice in lieu, an extra week for being over 45, eight weeks' incentive payment and 39 weeks' severance pay. All of it calculated on salary alone.
Nothing was added for the car.
The PSA argued that "weeks' pay" in the policy was ambiguous and should be read to include total remuneration - including the estimated $33,904.59 annual value of the vehicle benefit. That figure was an...
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