Write your letter
When to use this letter
- You want to check your long service leave balance before you plan leave or leave the job.
- Your payslip does not show a balance, or the balance looks wrong.
- You have left the job and need your records to check a payout.
What to include
- Your start date and the service your employer has counted.
- Any leave already taken and any periods left out of your service.
- A date by which you would like the records.
Sample letter (New South Wales)
This is what the tool writes for New South Wales with 13 weeks of leave and the names left blank. Choose your state above and the wording, sections and notice periods change to match.
11 January 2027
Request for my long service leave records
Dear [Manager name],
Please give me a copy of my long service leave records, showing my start date, the service counted, any leave taken, any periods excluded, and my current balance.
The Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW) requires employers to keep these records for 6 years after employment ends (s 8(3)).
I would be grateful for the records within 14 days.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
How long employers must keep the records in each state
The letter quotes your state's rule. Here it is for every state and territory.
| State | How long employers must keep the records |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | 6 years after employment ends (s 8(3)) |
| Victoria | 7 years after employment ends (s 37) |
| Queensland | 6 years after employment ends (s 339) |
| Western Australia | 7 years after employment ends (s 26(2)(b)) |
| South Australia | 3 years after employment ends (s 10(2)(c)) |
| Tasmania | The Act requires records but does not set a period (s 18) |
| Australian Capital Territory | 7 years after employment ends (s 12(2)) |
| Northern Territory | 3 years after employment ends (s 14(2)) |
See all long service leave letters.
Common questions
How long must my employer keep long service leave records?
It depends on the state. NSW: 6 years after employment ends (s 8(3)); Victoria: 7 years after employment ends (s 37); Queensland: 6 years after employment ends (s 339); WA: 7 years after employment ends (s 26(2)(b)); SA: 3 years after employment ends (s 10(2)(c)); Tasmania: The Act requires records but does not set a period (s 18); ACT: 7 years after employment ends (s 12(2)); NT: 3 years after employment ends (s 14(2)).
Official sources
- Long Service Leave Act 1955 No 38
- Long Service Leave Act 2018 (No. 12 of 2018)
- Industrial Relations Act 2016 - Chapter 2, Part 3, Division 9 (Long service leave), ss 93-114
Rules last reviewed 3 November 2026. Every figure comes from the Acts, the regulators, the ATO and the AASB; see sources and method.