Know your rights: Living away from home

Performing away from home? You should be receiving a living away from home allowance.

Employers in theatre must not ask a performer to misstate their place of residence or hire a performer as a local performer when they know they are not local in order to avoid paying the living away from home allowance (LAHA).

If this situation arises the performer is still entitled to the LAHA (accommodation and per diems) irrespective of whether they knowingly agreed to the arrangement.

The onus is on the employer to do the right thing, but also on agents and performers to be honest when stating place of residence to ensure that LAHA, which was hard fought by Equity members many years ago and is a legal entitlement, is not eroded.

If you have questions about your entitlements when working away from home contact MEAA member central on 1300 65 65 13.