There will be no more “jobs for life” in the South Australian public sector.

The Public Service Association (PSA) in South Australia has made an agreement with the State Government to cap the period a worker can remain in employment after being deemed “excess”, limiting it to 12 months, after which they must take redundancy.

The deal also includes a 7.5 per cent pay rise over three years, but is yet to be officially supported by public servants.

The plan has been in the wings for some months, with both the Government and Opposition promising to abolish public sector tenure ahead of the March election.

“The policy the PSA has negotiated is aimed at ensuring that anybody who is excess as a result of work-related changes is found ongoing work, particularly when you have a large number of jobs that are being occupied by temporary and casual employees,” PSA chief industrial officer Peter Christopher said.

When a public servant is made redundant under the proposed deal, they will be offered progressively less money over 12 months if they wait to take their payment.

After 12 months the Government would have the right to force people out.

The PSA says it believes it SA members will accept the deal, despite it compromising some regulations, as it is designed to protect as many jobs as possible.