New South Wales Long Service Leave Calculator
This NSW long service leave calculator applies the Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW): 8.67 weeks of paid leave after 10 years of continuous service. Pro rata on leaving: 5–10 years: only if the employer ends it (not for serious and wilful misconduct), you resign for illness, incapacity or domestic or other pressing necessity, or die. After 10 years: always. Enter your start and end dates, hours, weekly pay and why the job is ending to see the weeks, hours and dollars owed.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW)
| Continuous service | 10 years, 7 months, 7 days |
| LSL accrued to the end date | 9.19 weeks (349.3 h) |
| Can be taken now (while employed) | 8.67 weeks (329.3 h) |
| Paid out if employment ends for this reason | 9.19 weeks · $16,545 |
| Full entitlement | 8.67 weeks after 10 years (Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW)) |
| Pro rata on leaving | 5–10 years: only if the employer ends it (not for serious and wilful misconduct), you resign for illness, incapacity or domestic or other pressing necessity, or die. After 10 years: always. |
| Full entitlement reached on | Already reached |
| Hourly value at your pay | $47.37 an hour |
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NSW long service leave rules at a glance
| Entitlement | 2 months (8.67 weeks) after 10 years of continuous service, then 1 month (4.33 weeks) for each further 5 years (s 4(2)). |
| Pro rata on leaving | Between 5 and 10 years, paid only if the employer terminates for a reason other than serious and wilful misconduct, the worker resigns because of illness, incapacity or domestic or other pressing necessity, or the worker dies (s 4(2)(a)(iii)). After 10 years, accrued leave including the part since the last 5-year block is paid whatever the reason. |
| Cashing out | Not allowed while employed. A casual loading cannot be used to pay out long service leave. |
| Pay rate | The higher of ordinary pay when leave starts and average weekly ordinary pay over the previous 5 years (s 3(1)). Varying hours are averaged over 12 months. Overtime, shift and penalty rates are excluded; casual loading is included. |
| Casuals | Covered. Service is continuous if a casual is re-employed within 2 months; the end of a series of casual or fixed-term engagements can count as termination by the employer. |
| Taking the leave | One continuous period, or by agreement in periods of at least 1 day. The employer gives at least 1 month's notice. Public holidays during the leave extend it. |
NSW long service leave by years of service
Weeks of leave for a full-time employee on 38 hours a week. Multiply the weeks by your ordinary weekly pay for the dollar value: at $1,500 a week, 8.67 weeks is $13,000.
| Years of service | Accrued (weeks) | Can take while employed | Paid if you resign | Paid if made redundant | Hours at 38 h/week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.33 | 164.7 |
| 7 | 6.07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.07 | 230.5 |
| 8 | 6.93 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.93 | 263.5 |
| 10 | 8.67 | 8.67 | 8.67 | 8.67 | 329.3 |
| 12 | 10.40 | 8.67 | 10.40 | 10.40 | 395.2 |
| 15 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 494.0 |
| 20 | 17.33 | 17.33 | 17.33 | 17.33 | 658.7 |
Long service leave in other states
- Victoria6.07 weeks after 7 years
- Queensland8.67 weeks after 10 years
- Western Australia8.67 weeks after 10 years
- South Australia13 weeks after 10 years
- Tasmania8.67 weeks after 10 years
- Australian Capital Territory6.07 weeks after 7 years
- Northern Territory13 weeks after 10 years
How NSW long service leave is calculated
Under the Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW), long service leave accrues at 0.8667 weeks for every year of continuous service with the same employer (or a business that was transferred to them). The first entitlement is 8.67 weeks after 10 years; after that, leave can be taken in further blocks every 5 years. Weeks are converted to hours at your ordinary weekly hours and paid at your ordinary weekly pay, without overtime.
Worked example: Alex started on 1 July 2016, works 38 hours a week and earns $1,500 a week. On 1 July 2024, after 8 years, Alex has accrued 6.93 weeks. Resigning for a new job then pays nothing; being made redundant pays 6.93 weeks ($10,400). After 12 years Alex has 10.40 weeks (395.2 hours), of which 8.67 weeks can be taken while still employed, and resigning pays $15,600.
When NSW long service leave is paid out
What happens to 8 years of service (6.93 weeks accrued) depending on why the job ends. Before 5 years nothing is paid; after 10 years accrued leave is paid on any termination.
| How the job ends | Paid out? | Weeks | Value at $1,500 a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resigned (any ordinary reason) | No | 0.00 | $0 |
| Resigned due to illness, incapacity or pressing domestic necessity | Yes | 6.93 | $10,400 |
| Made redundant / employer ended it (not for conduct or performance) | Yes | 6.93 | $10,400 |
| Dismissed for conduct or performance (not serious misconduct) | Yes | 6.93 | $10,400 |
| Dismissed for serious misconduct | No | 0.00 | $0 |
| Retired at retirement age | No | 0.00 | $0 |
| Death of the employee | Yes | 6.93 | $10,400 |
What makes NSW long service leave different
NSW is the only state where pro rata leave can be paid from 5 years of service, but only on narrow grounds. If your employer ends your employment for any reason other than serious and wilful misconduct (including redundancy, a performance dismissal or the end of a run of casual or fixed-term engagements), or you resign because of illness, incapacity or a domestic or other pressing necessity, you are paid for the leave accrued from 5 years. Resigning to take another job between 5 and 10 years gets nothing. Whether a reason counts as a "pressing necessity" is decided case by case, so keep a record of why you left.
NSW pay is protected when your hours fall. A worker on a fixed rate is paid the higher of their ordinary pay when leave starts and their average weekly ordinary pay over the previous 5 years, so moving from full-time to part-time late in your career does not wipe out the value of years of full-time service. Casual loading is part of ordinary pay; overtime, shift and penalty rates are not. Long service leave cannot be cashed out in NSW while you are still employed.
Tax on a NSW long service leave payout
Long service leave taken while employed is taxed like normal pay. Unused leave paid when you leave is taxed under the ATO's Schedule 7 rules, which are the same in every state: leave accrued after 17 August 1993 is taxed at your marginal rates on a normal resignation or dismissal, and withheld at 32% after a genuine redundancy, invalidity or approved early retirement; leave accrued between 16 August 1978 and 17 August 1993 is withheld at 32%; and only 5% of leave accrued before 16 August 1978 is taxed.
On a $78,000 salary, Alex's $15,600 payout after 12 years adds about $4,992 of tax and Medicare at a 32% marginal rate, leaving $10,608. Unused long service leave paid on termination is not ordinary time earnings, so no super guarantee is paid on it.
Frequently asked questions
How much long service leave do you get in New South Wales?
8.67 weeks after 10 years of continuous service, accruing at 0.8667 weeks a year (Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW)).
Do I get long service leave if I resign after 7 years in NSW?
Not if you resign for an ordinary reason such as a new job. Between 5 and 10 years NSW pays pro rata only when the employer ends the employment (other than for serious and wilful misconduct), you resign for illness, incapacity or a pressing domestic necessity, or you die.
Can I cash out long service leave in NSW?
No. The NSW Act does not allow long service leave to be cashed out while you remain employed.
How do I calculate long service leave pay in NSW?
Weeks of leave × ordinary weekly pay. 8.67 weeks at $1,500 a week is $13,000; in hours, 329.3 hours on a 38-hour week.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- NSW Industrial Relations: Long Service Leave Guide (March 2026)
- Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW)
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Long service leave (state laws apply; pre-modern award entitlements preserved by NES s 113; portable schemes)
- ATO: PAYG withholding Schedule 7 – unused long service leave on termination (pre-16 Aug 1978: 5% at marginal rates; 1978–1993 and redundancy: 32%; post-17 Aug 1993: marginal rates)