Work out half pay or double pay
Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld)Half pay in Queensland: not under the act
The Act grants long service leave 'on full pay' and has no half-pay option. Section 101(1) lets the parties agree when and how the leave is paid, which covers timing and method, not a different rate. Business Queensland's pages do not mention half pay. (Industrial Relations Act 2016 s 95(2), s 98, s 101)
Double pay in Queensland: not under the act
The Act has no double-pay rule. Any cash component while employed would have to meet the s 110 cashing-in conditions.
An award, enterprise agreement or public-sector rule can allow more than the Act. See the Queensland 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
- Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld) ss 95-105, 110
- Business Queensland - Transferring, taking and cashing in long service leave (last reviewed 27 May 2024)
Rules last reviewed 3 November 2026. Every figure comes from the Acts, the regulators, the ATO and the AASB; see sources and method.