Long Service Leave Calculator WA
Work out your long service leave entitlement in Western Australia: how many weeks you've built up, whether it's payable yet, and what it's worth. WA qualifies at 10 years, and pro-rata from 7 years covers resignation as well as redundancy.
Western Australia long service leave calculator
Enter your service and pay to see the leave you've accrued, whether it's payable, and what it's worth.
An estimate of your entitlement under the Long Service Leave Act 1958 (WA). Your employer or the Western Australia long service leave authority can confirm your exact balance.
Long service leave in Western Australia at a glance
| Qualifying period | 10 years of continuous service |
| Leave at the qualifying period | 8.67 weeks |
| Accrual | 8.67 weeks at 10 years, then 4.33 weeks for each further 5 years |
| Pro-rata on termination from | 7 years |
| Law | Long Service Leave Act 1958 (WA) |
Applies to employees covered by the Western Australia long service leave laws. Some industries, such as construction, coal mining and contract cleaning, have their own portable long service leave schemes with different rules.
How long service leave works in Western Australia
In Western Australia you get 8.67 weeks of long service leave after 10 years of continuous service, and another 4.33 weeks for each further 5 years. Between 7 and 10 years, pro-rata is paid if you resign, are made redundant, die, or your employer ends your employment for any reason other than serious misconduct.
Long service leave is about continuous service with one employer, not hours worked. Part-time employees accrue it the same way as full-time employees, and paid leave such as annual leave counts as service. Unpaid leave and some breaks in service may not count, so check the WA Act if you've had a long break.
Western Australia long service leave accrual table
How much leave you build up over time, and whether it's payable if your employment ends.
| Years of service | Leave accrued | If your employment ends |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years | 4.33 weeks | Nothing payable yet |
| 7 years | 6.07 weeks | Pro-rata for qualifying reasons only |
| 8 years | 6.93 weeks | Pro-rata for qualifying reasons only |
| 10 years | 8.67 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
| 12 years | 10.4 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
| 15 years | 13 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
| 20 years | 17.33 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
Part years count, so your balance grows each month of service.
Pro-rata long service leave in Western Australia
Pro-rata means being paid for the leave you've built up before you reach the full qualifying period. In Western Australia, it can be paid from 7 years of continuous service, but only for certain reasons for leaving.
| Why your employment ends | Pro-rata paid between 7 and 10 years? |
|---|---|
| You resign | Yes |
| You are made redundant | Yes |
| Your employer ends your employment (not misconduct) | Yes |
| You leave because of illness, incapacity or a pressing necessity | Yes |
| You retire | Yes |
| Death of the employee | Yes |
| You are dismissed for serious misconduct | No |
After 10 years, unused long service leave is paid out when your employment ends. Dismissal for serious misconduct may affect payment, so check if that applies to you.
Taking your leave and getting paid
Once you reach 10 years you can take the leave, at a time agreed with your employer. You're paid your ordinary pay for the period, without overtime or most allowances. If your employment ends and you still have leave owing, it's paid out with your final pay.
Long service leave paid out on termination is taxed differently to your normal wages, and the tax depends on when the leave was accrued and why you left. Use the leave payout tax calculator to estimate the tax, or read our guide on tax on leave payouts.
More on Western Australia long service leave
Worked examples
| Scenario | Leave | Weekly pay | Gross payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full entitlement at 10 years | 8.67 weeks | $1,400/wk | $12,138.00 |
| Redundancy at 8 years (pro-rata) | 6.93 weeks | $1,400/wk | $9,702.00 |
| Part-time, 25 hrs at $30/hr, 10 years | 8.67 weeks | $750/wk | $6,502.50 |
| Long service, 20 years | 17.33 weeks | $2,000/wk | $34,660.00 |
Before tax, at the accrual rate in the Long Service Leave Act 1958 (WA). The pro-rata example assumes the reason for leaving qualifies.
What counts as continuous employment in WA
Service must generally be continuous with the same employer to count. A few important nuances:
- Business transfers: if there's a transmission of business, service with the first employer counts as service with the second employer — your accrued time isn't lost when a business changes hands.
- Overseas service: time worked overseas with a related entity does not count as service with a Western Australian employer, even if the entities are commonly owned.
- Notice period worked: all hours worked up until your employment ends, including any notice period you work out, count towards your continuous employment.
Casual employees and the construction industry
Full-time, part-time, and casual employees are all covered by the WA Long Service Leave Act, provided their employment is genuinely continuous with the same employer. If you work in the building and construction industry, however, your long service leave may instead be tracked through the MyLeave portable scheme, where your entitlement follows you between employers in the industry rather than resetting with each new employer.
Long service leave in other states
Long service leave is state law, so the rules change at the border. If you've worked in more than one state, the state where you're based usually applies.
Western Australia long service leave FAQs
How much long service leave do you get in Western Australia?
8.67 weeks after 10 years of continuous service. After 10 years you get another 4.33 weeks for each further 5 years of service, so 13 weeks at 15 years.
How is long service leave calculated in Western Australia?
Your years of continuous service are multiplied by the Western Australia accrual rate. WA accrues about 0.867 weeks a year, so 7 years of service is about 6.07 weeks. You're paid your ordinary weekly pay for each week of leave.
Can you get long service leave before 10 years in Western Australia?
Yes, from 7 years, and the reasons are broader than most states. WA pays pro-rata if you resign, are made redundant, on death, or if your employer ends your employment for any reason other than serious misconduct.
Is long service leave paid out if you resign in Western Australia?
Yes, from 7 years. Western Australia pays pro-rata long service leave on resignation once you have 7 years of continuous service, and the full entitlement is paid after 10 years.
Does part-time work count towards long service leave in Western Australia?
Yes. Long service leave is based on continuous service rather than hours, so part-time employees build up the same weeks of leave. How your pay rate is worked out, especially if your hours changed over the years, is set by the WA Act.
How is long service leave taxed when it's paid out?
A long service leave payout on termination is taxed under the ATO's rules for unused leave, not as ordinary wages. The rate depends on when the leave was accrued and why your job ended, with concessional treatment for genuine redundancy. Our leave payout tax calculator gives an estimate.