The Building Employees Redundancy Trust was established in 1989 to provide redundancy benefits and training grants for employees in the Queensland building and construction industry.

In 1996 a new trust, the BERT Fund was established to cater for the new benefits introduced by BERT, including the Welfare Fund. All assets of the Building Employees Redundancy Trust were transferred to the BERT Fund in May 1996.

The BERT Fund has the full support of the major employer associations and employee unions operating in the Queensland building and construction industry. The benefits paid from the Fund help provide members and their families with financial assistance in the event of ceasing employment because of redundancy or relief from financial burdens in the event of a members death or disability.

The benefits result from the accumulation of contributions paid by the employers. The interest earned from the investments of the BERT Fund is used to provide training grants for employees, pay the premiums associated with the Welfare Fund and to meet the costs of management and administration of the Fund.

Since the BERT Fund commenced, it has paid out $271,157,000 in benefits to 132,036 members to assist workers in their time of need.

Additionally, the Fund has contributed in excess of $15 million for industry training and $6,100,000 for member benefits.

The Fund currently offers the following benefits:

• Workcover Hub
• BERT Training Queensland
• Mates in Construction
• Employment Register
• Queensland University of Technology grant