Work out half pay or double pay
Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW)Half pay in New South Wales: not under the act
NSW Industrial Relations says long service leave must be paid at the worker's ordinary pay and the Act is silent on whether a worker can take long service leave at half pay. It gives no view on half pay by agreement. (Long Service Leave Act 1955 s 4(2) pays long service leave at ordinary pay)
Double pay in New South Wales: no
Nothing in the Act provides for double-pay leave. The NSW guide says long service leave under the Act cannot be cashed out (paid as money instead of time off). Treat it as not permitted: the Act has no double-pay rule as such, and the ban comes from the cash-out prohibition.
An award, enterprise agreement or public-sector rule can allow more than the Act. See the New South Wales long service leave calculator for how many weeks you have.
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
- NSW Industrial Relations - Long service leave FAQs (FAQ 47, 52)
- NSW IR Long Service Leave Guide, March 2026
- Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW)
Rules last reviewed 3 November 2026. Every figure comes from the Acts, the regulators, the ATO and the AASB; see sources and method.