About the Long Service Leave Calculator
This long service leave calculator estimates your LSL under the state or territory law that covers most private-sector employees. Most jurisdictions give 8.6667 weeks (two months) after 10 years of continuous service; Victoria and the ACT accrue at the same rate but let you take leave after 7 years, and South Australia and the Northern Territory are more generous at 13 weeks after 10 years (1.3 weeks per year).
Choose your state, enter your continuous service, ordinary weekly pay and any LSL already taken, and say whether you are still employed, resigning, being made redundant or dismissed. The calculator shows the leave you have accrued, how much you can take now, and whether a pro-rata payout is owed when employment ends — for example NSW pays pro-rata after 5 years if you are made redundant, while Victoria and Western Australia pay after 7 years even if you resign.
It is a guide for employees and small employers. Some awards, enterprise agreements and portable schemes (construction, cleaning, community services and others) have different rules, and the treatment of casual and part-time service, unpaid absences and pay averaging can change the result. Check with your state regulator if your situation is unusual.
With the default inputs, the value of available lsl is $13,000.05. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the long service leave calculator
- 1Choose the state or territory whose law covers your job.
- 2Enter your continuous service in years and months.
- 3Enter your ordinary weekly pay and any long service leave already taken.
- 4Pick whether you are still employed or how your employment is ending.
- 5Read the weeks available and their value.
Formula and method
Long service leave accrues at about 0.8667 weeks for every year of continuous service in New South Wales, Victoria (1 week per 60 weeks), Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT (one-fifth of a month per year). South Australia and the Northern Territory accrue 1.3 weeks for each completed year. In NSW, Queensland, WA and Tasmania you can take 8.6667 weeks after 10 years and a further 4.3333 weeks after each additional 5 years; in the Northern Territory 13 weeks after 10 years and 6.5 weeks after each further 5 years; in Victoria and the ACT you can take all accrued leave after 7 years, and in South Australia 13 weeks after 10 years plus 1.3 weeks for each further completed year.
When employment ends, leave is paid out pro-rata if you have enough service for the reason you are leaving: for example NSW pays after 5 years for redundancy, dismissal (other than serious misconduct), illness or death, and after 10 years for any reason; Victoria pays after 7 years for any reason. The value is the weeks owed multiplied by your ordinary weekly pay, before tax.
- Service
- Continuous service with the employer, in years
- Rate
- Weeks of LSL accrued per year of service
Worked examples
NSW, 12 years, still employed
After 10 years in NSW you can take 8.6667 weeks; the next 4.3333 weeks becomes available at 15 years. At $1,500 a week the leave is worth about $13,000. In total 12 × 0.8667 = 10.4 weeks has accrued.
Victoria, 8 years 6 months, resigning
Victoria pays out accrued LSL on resignation once you have 7 years. 8.5 years is 442 weeks of service; ÷ 60 = 7.37 weeks, worth $8,840 at $1,200 a week.
Queensland, 8 years, made redundant
Queensland pays a proportionate amount after 7 years if employment ends for a qualifying reason such as redundancy: 8 ÷ 10 × 8.6667 = 6.93 weeks, about $6,933. Had the worker simply resigned, nothing would be paid before 10 years.
South Australia, 12½ years, still employed
South Australia gives 1.3 weeks for each completed year. Twelve completed years is 15.6 weeks, worth $31,200 at $2,000 a week.
Northern Territory, 16 years, still employed
The NT gives 13 weeks after 10 years and another 6.5 weeks after 15 years, so 19.5 weeks can be taken now, worth $27,300 at $1,400 a week. 16 × 1.3 = 20.8 weeks has accrued in total; the extra 1.3 weeks would be paid out if employment ended.
Frequently asked questions
How much long service leave do I get after 10 years?+
In NSW, Queensland, WA, Tasmania, Victoria and the ACT about 8.67 weeks (two months). In South Australia and the Northern Territory it is 13 weeks. Each additional year adds roughly 0.87 weeks, or 1.3 weeks in SA and NT.
Do I get long service leave if I resign after 7 years?+
In Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT, yes — accrued leave is paid out after 7 years on resignation. In NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and the NT, resigning before 10 years usually only qualifies if it is due to illness, incapacity or a pressing domestic necessity.
Is long service leave paid on redundancy?+
Usually yes once you pass the pro-rata threshold: 5 years in NSW and the ACT, and 7 years in most other states. The payout is your accrued weeks multiplied by your ordinary weekly pay.
Do casual workers get long service leave?+
Yes. Casual and part-time employees accrue LSL if their service is continuous. Pay is normally based on average hours over a set period, such as the last 12 months or 5 years depending on the state.
How is long service leave taxed when paid out?+
Unused LSL paid on termination is taxed under special ATO rules. Amounts accrued since 18 August 1993 are generally taxed at your marginal rate, but leave paid because of genuine redundancy, invalidity or early retirement is capped at 32%.
Results are general estimates and not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction — consult a qualified attorney.