Work out half pay or double pay
Can you take long service leave at half pay or double pay?
Only two Acts deal with it. Victoria lets an employee take twice the leave at half pay, and the employer can refuse only on reasonable business grounds. Western Australia allows half pay or double pay if the employer agrees. SafeWork SA says half pay is possible in South Australia if the employer allows it. The other Acts pay long service leave at full pay and say nothing about half or double pay.
| State | Half pay | Double pay |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Not in the Act | Not allowed |
| Victoria | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Queensland | Not in the Act | Not in the Act |
| Western Australia | Only if your employer agrees | Only if your employer agrees |
| South Australia | Only if your employer agrees | Not in the Act |
| Tasmania | Not in the Act | Only if your employer agrees |
| Australian Capital Territory | Not in the Act | Not allowed |
| Northern Territory | Not in the Act | Not allowed |
An award, enterprise agreement or public-sector rule can give you more options than the Act. Victoria's regulator says double pay is not allowed there, because it would break the ban on cashing out leave.
Half pay rules for your state
Common questions
Is half-pay long service leave worth less?
No. The total is the same: 13 weeks at full pay or 26 weeks at half pay are both worth 13 weeks of ordinary pay. The leave lasts longer and each pay is smaller.
Can my employer refuse half-pay leave?
In Victoria, only on reasonable business grounds (s 22). In WA the employer does not have to agree (s 9(1C)). In SA the regulator says the employer does not have to allow it. Elsewhere the Act does not provide for it at all.
Can I take long service leave at double pay in Victoria?
No. Workforce Inspectorate Victoria says taking half the leave at double pay is not permitted, because it breaches the Act's ban on cashing out long service leave.
Official sources
- Long Service Leave Act 2018 (Vic), Authorised Version No. 006
- Long Service Leave Act 1958 (WA), PCO 04-m0-00 as at 31 Jan 2025
- Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA), version 1.7.2017 (current)
Rules last reviewed 3 November 2026. Every figure comes from the Acts, the regulators, the ATO and the AASB; see sources and method.