Under seven years: nothing is payable when you resign.
Seven to ten years: an ordinary resignation, for example to take another job, gets nothing. You are paid pro rata if you resign because of your illness, or because of a domestic or other pressing necessity (s 95(4)(b)). Illness includes injury, incapacity or another medical condition (s 95(7)).
Retiring is a resignation in this sense. Retiring between seven and ten years gets nothing unless it is because of your illness or a pressing necessity.
Ten years or more: you are paid whatever the reason you resign. The amount covers your whole period of continuous service including part years, less leave already taken (s 95(3)). Business Queensland gives the example of 12 years of service, which pays 8.67 + 1.73 = 10.4 weeks.
If you were casual or part-time at any time, your entitlement is worked out from your total ordinary hours (s 105). Business Queensland's example: 18,720 hours over 13 years gives 18,720 / 52 x 8.6667 / 10 = 312 hours, paid at your ordinary hourly rate.
If you resign and the same employer re-employs you within three months, your service is not broken, but the gap does not count (s 134(5), s 134(9)). Casuals have the same three-month limit between contracts (s 103(3)).
Common questions
Do I get long service leave if I resign after eight years in Queensland?
Only if you resigned because of your illness or a domestic or other pressing necessity (s 95(4)(b)). Otherwise nothing is payable before ten years.
Do I get long service leave if I resign after ten years in Queensland?
Yes. After ten years it is paid whatever the reason, for your whole period of service less leave taken (s 95(3)).
If I resign and come back, do I keep my service in Queensland?
Yes, if you are re-employed within three months. The gap itself is not counted (s 134(5), s 134(9)).
Official sources
- Industrial Relations Act 2016Queensland Parliamentary Counsel
- Industrial Relations Act 2016 (PDF reprint)Queensland Parliamentary Counsel
- Long service leave in QueenslandBusiness Queensland
Rules last reviewed 3 November 2026.