Longserviceleave.com

Guide · Australian Capital Territory public sector

Long service leave for ACT Public Service employees

If you work for the ACT Public Service, your long service leave comes from clause E25 of your enterprise agreement and Part 4.3 of the Public Sector Management Standards 2006, which still applies under the 2016 Standards (s 113). It is not the Long Service Leave Act 1976 that covers private-sector workers. This page follows the Administrative and Related Classifications Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026. It is an independent guide, not legal advice. Check your agreement and balance with HR.

By Sri Murugan Systems · Rules last reviewed

  • 4 min read
  • 6 sections
  • 6 official sources
On this page
  1. Who these rules cover
  2. How much leave you get
  3. What happens when you leave
  4. Earlier service
  5. Taking leave, double pay and cashing out
  6. How this differs from the ACT Long Service Leave Act
  7. Common questions
  8. Official sources

Who these rules cover

Clause E25 covers all employees under the agreement, including casual employees (cl E25.3). It does not cover staff seconded from another government or people engaged only for overseas work (cl E25.4).

Other ACTPS agreements have their own E25-style clauses, which were not checked for this page. A proposed 2026-2029 Administrative agreement was voted down in September 2026, so the 2023-2026 agreement still applies.

How much leave you get

You accrue 3 months of long service leave for every 10 years of eligible employment, which is 0.3 months a year (cl E25.8). This page counts a month as 4.33 weeks, so that is 1.3 weeks a year. You can use your credit after 7 years, when you will have 2.1 months (cl E25.16). There is no cap on how much you can build up (cl E25.11).

If you will return to work after leave, or you are cashing out, your credit counts completed years. If you are leaving, it counts completed years and months (cl E25.9-E25.10).

Years of eligible employmentMonthsWeeks (approx.)
72.19.1
103.013.0
154.519.5
206.026.0
Check your own numbers

Pick your state. The calculator uses that state's Act and shows the working.

What happens when you leave

With 7 or more years, you are paid your whole credit on separation, whatever the reason you leave (cl E25.22).

With at least 1 year, you are paid pro rata if you leave at or after the minimum retiring age, or because of redundancy. You are also paid if the head of service is satisfied that ill health justified you leaving (cl E25.23). For most officers the minimum retiring age is 55 (2006 Standards s 261; Public Sector Management Act s 121). If you die with at least 1 year, the head of service may authorise a payment to your dependants (cl E25.24).

With 5 to 7 years, you are paid pro rata if your employer ends your employment for a reason other than serious misconduct (2016 Standards s 113A).

An ordinary resignation before 7 years gets nothing. Neither does leaving for a pressing domestic reason that is not ill health.

Earlier service

Prior service with a government agency, public authority, government-owned body, territory-owned corporation or acute public health provider counts (2006 Standards s 64(1)). The head of service may also recognise service with bodies at least 50% government-owned (s 64(2)). A break of more than 12 months stops recognition, and leave taken or paid out before is deducted (s 64(5)-(6); cl E25.13).

Taking leave, double pay and cashing out

The minimum period is one day (cl E25.17). Periods of 7 consecutive days or more can be taken on double, full or half pay, with your credit reduced on the same basis (cl E25.27). Shorter blocks are charged at 1.4 days for each day, and 6 consecutive days are charged as 7 (cl E25.28-E25.29). Weekends and public holidays inside your leave are deducted (2006 Standards s 268).

From 7 years you can ask in writing to cash out part or all of your credit, with a minimum of 7 days (cl E25.19-E25.21).

You are paid your current salary, or your average hours if your part-time hours changed (cl E25.26). Shift penalties, overtime and on-call payments are excluded (2006 Standards s 266).

How this differs from the ACT Long Service Leave Act

The private-sector Act gives 6.07 weeks after 7 years and pro rata from 5 years. The ACTPS rules give about 9.1 weeks at 7 years and payouts from 1 year for retirement, redundancy and ill health. They also allow double-pay leave and cash-outs.

Work it out under these rules. The Australian Capital Territory calculator has a "State or territory public service" option that uses these rules instead of the Act.

Open the calculator with public service rules

Who these rules cover

ACT Public Service employees, including casual employees (EA cl E25.3). The rules in E25 sit on top of the preserved Part 4.3 of the 2006 Standards (cl E25.5; 2016 Standards s 113). This file follows the Administrative and Related Classifications agreement. Other ACTPS agreements were not checked.

Not covered here: Staff seconded to the ACTPS from the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory, and people engaged only for work outside Australia (cl E25.4). Members of the Legislative Assembly and their staff are excluded under the 2006 Standards (s 260(2)). Teachers, nurses, police and local government are outside this page.

What we could not confirm

We read the official instruments ourselves. These points were unclear or could not be checked, so treat the calculator as a guide on them and ask your HR team.

  • Other ACTPS enterprise agreements (health, technical, infrastructure and so on) were not checked. Their E25 clauses may differ.
  • A proposed 2026-2029 Administrative agreement was rejected at ballot on 8 September 2026 (CMTEDD agreements page). The 2023-2026 agreement still applies until a replacement starts.
  • The 1.3 weeks a year assumes 1 month = 52 ÷ 12 weeks. Leave is measured in calendar months, so a taken period may differ by a day or so.

Common questions

When can ACT public servants take long service leave?

After 7 years of eligible employment, when you have 2.1 months of credit (cl E25.16).

Can I take long service leave on double pay?

Yes, with approval, for periods of 7 consecutive days or more and shorter blocks. Your credit is reduced at double the rate (cl E25.27-E25.28).

Do I get paid out if I resign after 6 years?

Not for an ordinary resignation. Before 7 years you are paid only for retirement at the minimum retiring age, redundancy, ill health or death (cl E25.23-E25.24), or a dismissal after 5 years that was not for serious misconduct (2016 Standards s 113A).

Can I cash out long service leave?

Yes, from 7 years, if you ask in writing and the head of service approves. The minimum is 7 days (cl E25.19-E25.21).

Does casual work count?

Yes. Long service leave is available to casual employees, based on an equivalent aggregate period of employment (cl E25.3, E25.8).

Official sources

Rules last reviewed 3 November 2026. Every figure comes from the state Acts, the regulators and the ATO; see sources and method.

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