Long Service Leave Calculator SA
Work out your long service leave entitlement in South Australia: how many weeks you've built up, whether it's payable yet, and what it's worth. South Australia gives 1.3 weeks for each completed year, with pro-rata from 7 years including resignation.
South 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 1987 (SA). Your employer or the South Australia long service leave authority can confirm your exact balance.
Long service leave in South Australia at a glance
| Qualifying period | 10 years of continuous service |
| Leave at the qualifying period | 13 weeks |
| Accrual | 1.3 weeks for each completed year of service (13 weeks at 10 years) |
| Pro-rata on termination from | 7 years |
| Law | Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA) |
Applies to employees covered by the South 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 South Australia
In South Australia you accrue 1.3 weeks of long service leave for each completed year of service, which is 13 weeks at 10 years. Between 7 and 10 years, pro-rata is paid when employment ends, including on resignation, unless you are dismissed for serious and wilful misconduct or you resign without giving the required notice.
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 SA Act if you've had a long break.
South 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 | 6.5 weeks | Nothing payable yet |
| 7 years | 9.1 weeks | Pro-rata for qualifying reasons only |
| 8 years | 10.4 weeks | Pro-rata for qualifying reasons only |
| 10 years | 13 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
| 12 years | 15.6 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
| 15 years | 19.5 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
| 20 years | 26 weeks | Paid out when employment ends |
South Australia counts completed years only, so part years do not add to your balance until the year is finished.
Pro-rata long service leave in South Australia
Pro-rata means being paid for the leave you've built up before you reach the full qualifying period. In South 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.
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.
South Australia long service leave FAQs
How much long service leave do you get in South Australia?
13 weeks after 10 years of continuous service. South Australia is the most generous state: 1.3 weeks for each completed year, so 15 years of service is 19.5 weeks.
How is long service leave calculated in South Australia?
Your years of continuous service are multiplied by the South Australia accrual rate. SA counts completed years only, at 1.3 weeks each, so 7 years and 9 months of service is 9.1 weeks. You're paid your ordinary weekly pay for each week of leave.
Can you get long service leave before 10 years in South Australia?
Yes. From 7 years of service, South Australia pays pro-rata long service leave when your employment ends, including if you resign. It is not paid if you are dismissed for serious and wilful misconduct, or if you resign without giving the notice your employment requires.
Is long service leave paid out if you resign in South Australia?
Yes, from 7 years. South Australia pays pro-rata on resignation from 7 years of service, as long as you give the required notice. After 10 years the full entitlement is paid out.
Does part-time work count towards long service leave in South 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 SA 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.