1. What is BERT?

BERT is 'The Building Employees Redundancy Trust' and provides redundancy benefits for building and construction workers. BERT is a joint Union and Employer initiative with each having an equal say in running the Trust. Employees that are retrenched, leaving the industry or retiring from a job, have the security of being paid a lump sum of money.

2. Who is eligible?

All employees in the building and construction industry are entitled to redundancy pay. Any employee is eligible to become a member of BERT. Your employer MUST also be a member.

3. How does an employer join?

The employer simply completes and signs a 'Deed of Adherence' to BERT, by which he or she contributes to BERT to cover employees' entitlements to redundancy pay.

4. How does an employee join?

Employees can easily become members of BERT providing their employer is also a member. Ask your employer for a BERT membership application form. It's easy to fill out and membership is free!

5. Contributions?

Employers contribute to BERT by paying workers' redundancy pay into the Trust. Those funds are held in trust in separate accounts in the name of each worker. All contributions are preserved and paid to the worker when he or she makes a claim.

6. Member benefits?

BERT pays out a lump sum of money to employees for
- Redundancy
- Retirement
- Total or permanent disability
- Leaving the building and construction industry
- Permanently leaving Australia
- Hardship

7. What happens to the interest?

The Trust must be non-profit making and therefore interest earned on invested BERT funds is provided for training. To date, most funds have gone to the 'Queensland Construction Training Fund' to provide Training Grants. Employees working within the building and construction industry and employers who are members of BERT are eligible to apply for a Training Grant. Also, BERT administration costs are paid out of the interest so protecting workers' lump sum entitlements.