Long Service Leave Calculator ACT
Work out your long service leave entitlement in Australian Capital Territory: how many weeks you've built up, whether it's payable yet, and what it's worth. The ACT qualifies at 7 years, with pro-rata available from 5 years in limited cases.
Australian Capital Territory 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 1976 (ACT). Your employer or the Australian Capital Territory long service leave authority can confirm your exact balance.
Long service leave in Australian Capital Territory at a glance
| Qualifying period | 7 years of continuous service |
| Leave at the qualifying period | 6.07 weeks |
| Accrual | 1/5 of a month for each year of service (about 0.87 weeks a year) |
| Pro-rata on termination from | 5 years |
| Law | Long Service Leave Act 1976 (ACT) |
Applies to employees covered by the Australian Capital Territory 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 Australian Capital Territory
In the ACT you accrue 1/5 of a month of long service leave for each year of service, which is about 0.87 weeks a year, and you can take it after 7 years (6.07 weeks). Between 5 and 7 years, pro-rata is paid if your employer ends your employment (other than for serious and wilful misconduct), you resign because of illness, incapacity or a domestic or other pressing necessity, you retire at the minimum retiring age, or on death.
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 ACT Act if you've had a long break.
Australian Capital Territory 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 years | 3.47 weeks | Nothing payable yet |
| 5 years | 4.33 weeks | Pro-rata for qualifying reasons only |
| 7 years | 6.07 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
| 8 years | 6.93 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
| 10 years | 8.67 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 Australian Capital Territory
Pro-rata means being paid for the leave you've built up before you reach the full qualifying period. In Australian Capital Territory, it can be paid from 5 years of continuous service, but only for certain reasons for leaving.
| Why your employment ends | Pro-rata paid between 5 and 7 years? |
|---|---|
| You resign | No |
| 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 7 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 7 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.
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.
Australian Capital Territory long service leave FAQs
How much long service leave do you get in Australian Capital Territory?
6.07 weeks after 7 years of continuous service. The ACT accrues 1/5 of a month for each year of service, which is about 0.87 weeks a year, and keeps building after 7 years.
How is long service leave calculated in Australian Capital Territory?
Your years of continuous service are multiplied by the Australian Capital Territory accrual rate. The ACT accrues about 0.867 weeks a year, so 10 years of service is about 8.67 weeks. You're paid your ordinary weekly pay for each week of leave.
Can you get long service leave before 7 years in Australian Capital Territory?
Yes, from 5 years, for limited reasons. The ACT pays pro-rata if your employer ends your employment (other than for serious and wilful misconduct), you resign because of illness, incapacity or a domestic or other pressing necessity, you retire at the minimum retiring age, or on death.
Is long service leave paid out if you resign in Australian Capital Territory?
Only after 7 years, unless you resign for a qualifying reason. After 7 years in the ACT, unused long service leave is paid out when employment ends. Between 5 and 7 years, resigning only qualifies if it is because of illness, incapacity, a pressing necessity or retirement at the minimum retiring age.
Does part-time work count towards long service leave in Australian Capital Territory?
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 ACT 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.