Joining NEST

Joining Nest

Joining NEST is easy and can be completed in three simple steps. All the forms you will require are available on our Resources Page or by contacting NEST.

Step 1: Complete and sign the Employer Application Form and the Deed of Adherence.

Step 2: Provide NEST with details of your employees. You can do this by:

  • completing a member application form for each employee (if you have under 5 employees); or
  • providing data in bulk in our Employee Additions Template. This is an excel template that is linked to within our application form and also included on the resources page.

Step 3: Submit your form electronically or return all forms to nest@coverforce.com.au.

Once the application is received and processed by NEST, the employer shall receive their first month's contribution statement which needs to be paid to complete the registration process. Employers and their employees will then receive written confirmation of their registration as NEST members as well as their personalised NEST ID number and internet access password.

If you have any difficulty in completing any of the above steps, please contact NEST for assistance.

Types of Memberships

There are two categories of NEST membership:

  • Termination Members: may claim lump sum termination payments after leaving their employer for any reason. These payments will typically be taxed concessionally as employer termination payments.
  • Genuine Redundancy Members: may only claim if they leave due to genuine redundancy, retirement (after the legislated age), or death. Redundancy claims are tax-free up to the government's prescribed limit, with any excess taxed at concessional rates. Different tax treatments apply to payments made on retirement or death, and death benefits are paid as an employment termination payment to the employee's estate.

You must elect which category of membership you would like. If no election is made, you will automatically be a Termination Member. To be a Genuine Redundancy Member, you must submit a Genuine Redundancy Election Form before your role is made redundant. This election can't be reversed once made.

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