Longserviceleave.com

Guide · New South Wales public sector

Long service leave for NSW public servants

If you work in the NSW Public Service, your long service leave is called extended leave and comes from the Government Sector Employment Regulation 2014, not the NSW Long Service Leave Act 1955. It is more generous than the Act: you can take it after 7 years, it builds up faster after 10 years, and you can take it at half pay or double pay. This page explains the rules in plain English. It is a guide, not legal advice. Check your figures with your agency's HR team.

By Sri Murugan Systems · Rules last reviewed

  • 5 min read
  • 5 sections
  • 3 official sources
On this page
  1. Who these rules cover
  2. How much extended leave you get
  3. What happens when you leave
  4. Earlier government service
  5. Taking leave and how you are paid
  6. Common questions
  7. Official sources

Who these rules cover

Schedule 1 of the Regulation covers NSW Public Service employees other than casual employees (cl 16). The rules on counting earlier government service in Schedule 2 apply to all government sector employees (cl 28).

Teachers, police, nurses and other health staff, and local council staff have their own arrangements. They are not covered here. Senior executives are covered, but their payout is worked out on notional salary (Sch 1 cl 6).

How much extended leave you get

Between 7 and 10 years you get leave in proportion to your service, at 2 months on full pay for 10 years (Sch 1 cl 2(1)). After 10 years you get 5 months on full pay for each further 10 years (Sch 1 cl 2(2)). That is about 2.17 weeks a year, much faster than the first 10 years.

In the table below, 1 month is counted as 52/12 = 4.33 weeks. NSW payroll counts the leave in working days (44 working days for 10 years), so the figures on your payslip may be slightly higher.

Years of serviceFull-pay leave (approx.)Half payDouble pay
76.07 weeks12.13 weeks3.03 weeks
108.67 weeks17.33 weeks4.33 weeks
1519.50 weeks39 weeks9.75 weeks
2030.33 weeks60.67 weeks15.17 weeks
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 the money value of your unused extended leave when your employment ends (Sch 1 cl 4). The Regulation does not exclude any reason for leaving.

With 5 to 7 years, you are paid a pro rata amount only if you resign because of illness, incapacity or a domestic or other pressing necessity, or your employer ends your employment for a reason other than misconduct (Sch 1 cl 3(1)). The amount is 1 month for 5 years plus 3 months for every 15 years after that (Sch 1 cl 3(2)). That works out the same as about 0.87 weeks a year.

If you die with an entitlement, the money goes to your spouse or de facto partner, then your children, then a dependent relative (Sch 1 cl 5). With under 5 years, nothing is paid.

Earlier government service

Continuous service with another NSW government sector agency, a Commonwealth or interstate agency, or a related government service can count, if your new job immediately followed it or the law or administrative practice recognises it (Sch 2 cl 6). In general you must start within 2 months, and the earlier job must not have ended in disciplinary dismissal (Sch 2 cl 4). Full-time ADF service counts as Commonwealth service (Sch 2 cl 10).

Local councils, universities and some government corporations are excluded from the interstate and Commonwealth definition unless the Public Service Commissioner declares otherwise (Sch 2 cl 1-2). Leave already taken or paid out for that earlier service is deducted (Sch 2 cl 7).

Taking leave and how you are paid

Half-pay leave lasts twice as long and is debited at half. Double-pay leave lasts half as long and is debited at double (Sch 1 cl 2, cl 8). The NSW Public Service IR Guide says leave is not granted for less than a quarter of a day, and double-pay leave is generally expected to be at least a week (IR Guide 6.5.3.3, 6.5.7.1b).

You are paid at base salary. Allowances count only if the Conditions Award treats them as salary for all purposes. A higher duties allowance counts if you acted in the role for more than a year (IR Guide 6.5.7). Part-time staff get the same entitlement, paid pro rata (IR Guide 6.5.5).

No general cash-out option for non-executive staff was found. Senior executives can elect to be paid accrued extended leave (cl 37).

Work it out under these rules. The New South Wales 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

NSW Public Service employees other than casual employees (GSE Regulation cl 16 applies Schedule 1). Schedule 2 (recognition of prior service) applies to all government sector employees (cl 28). In NSW the public service calls long service leave 'extended leave'.

Not covered here: Casual employees (excluded from Schedule 1 by cl 16; the Conditions Award cl 12.5.3 deals with casual long service leave, not checked here). Teachers, police, nurses, health staff and local government employees have their own instruments and are outside this page. Senior executives are covered, but their money value is worked out on notional salary (Sch 1 cl 6).

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.

  • Version checked: the Regulation as in force from 18 September 2024 (legislation.nsw.gov.au, accessed via the 2024-11-23 PDF). A later 2025 version exists but could not be opened (site blocked automated access), so later amendments are not confirmed.
  • Unit conversion: the Regulation states months. This file uses 1 month = 52/12 weeks (2 months = 8.67 weeks). The NSW IR Guide says the public service has counted extended leave in working days since 1 April 1991 (44 working days for 10 years = 8.8 weeks; 30.8 working days at 7 years). Payroll figures may therefore be about 1.5% higher than these weeks.
  • Whether a pro rata amount applies on retirement by choice (for example at 55 or older) with 5 to 7 years: Sch 1 cl 3 lists only illness, incapacity, pressing necessity and employer termination other than for misconduct, so retirement was not modelled as eligible.
  • Whether NSW local government or university service counts as 'related government service' (depends on GSE Act s 5, not opened).
  • Exact wording of Sch 2 cl 8 (election to be paid on moving agencies) and which moves it covers.
  • Casual employees' long service leave (Conditions Award cl 12.5.3) was not opened.
  • Transferred Officers Extended Leave Act 1961, which the IR Guide says still governs some service with employers starting before 1 January 2006, was not opened.

Common questions

Can I take extended leave after 7 years in the NSW Public Service?

Yes. From 7 years you can take leave in proportion to your service, at 2 months for 10 years (Sch 1 cl 2(1)). With 8 years that is about 6.93 weeks on full pay.

Do I get paid out if I resign before 10 years?

Yes, if you have at least 7 years. Your unused extended leave is paid out when your employment ends, whatever the reason (Sch 1 cl 4). Between 5 and 7 years, you are paid only for the reasons listed in Sch 1 cl 3.

Can I take extended leave at half pay?

Yes. The Regulation lets you take leave on full pay, half pay (twice as long) or double pay (half as long) (Sch 1 cl 2). Half-pay leave is debited at half (Sch 1 cl 8).

Does my Commonwealth or interstate service count?

It can, if the service was continuous and your NSW job immediately followed it, or the law or administrative practice recognises it (Sch 2 cl 6). Leave you were already paid for is deducted (Sch 2 cl 7).

Why is my payroll balance different from this calculator?

The Regulation sets leave in months. This site counts 1 month as 4.33 weeks. NSW payroll uses working days (44 days for 10 years), which comes out about 1.5% higher. Also check for leave without pay, which can reduce your service (Sch 1 cl 1).

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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