Write your letter
When to use this letter
- You have enough long service leave for the time off you want and need your employer to approve the dates.
- You want to take the leave at half pay or double pay and need to ask in writing.
- You want a written record of the request, the dates and how the leave will be paid.
What to include
- The start date and the number of weeks, so the end date is clear.
- Whether you want full, half or double pay.
- A request to confirm the approval, the dates, the pay and your balance in writing.
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. The sample uses a start date of 19 April 2027 and a letter dated 11 January 2027. Choose your state above and the wording, sections and notice periods change to match.
11 January 2027
Request to take long service leave
Dear [Manager name],
I am writing to request 13 weeks of long service leave, starting on 19 April 2027 and ending on 18 July 2027.
Under the Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW), leave is taken in one continuous period unless we agree to split it (s 4(3)).
Please confirm in writing that the leave is approved, the dates, and how it will be paid. Please also confirm my long service leave balance before and after this leave.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
How the leave can be taken in each state
The letter quotes your state's rule. Here it is for every state and territory.
| State | How the leave can be taken |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Leave is taken in one continuous period unless we agree to split it (s 4(3)) |
| Victoria | Leave can be taken in periods of at least 1 day (s 18(1)), and must be granted as soon as practicable unless there are reasonable business grounds to refuse (s 18(2)) |
| Queensland | Leave is taken for a period we agree |
| Western Australia | Leave is taken in one continuous period, or in separate periods if we agree (s 9(1)(b)) |
| South Australia | Leave is taken in one continuous period unless we agree otherwise (s 7(2), s 7(4)) |
| Tasmania | Leave is taken in one period, or in two periods if we agree (s 12(5)) |
| Australian Capital Territory | Leave is taken for a period we agree |
| Northern Territory | Leave is taken in one continuous period, or in up to 3 periods of at least 4 weeks each if we agree (s 8(6)(b)) |
See all long service leave letters.
Common questions
Do I have to apply for long service leave in writing?
Most Acts do not say how a request is made, but a written request is the clearest record. In Victoria, half-pay leave is requested under s 22, and the employer can refuse only on reasonable business grounds.
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.