Longserviceleave.com

Sources and method

Every rule on this site comes from the state and territory Acts, the state regulators, the ATO and the portable scheme bodies. We do not use law firms, payroll companies or other calculator sites as sources.

By Sri Murugan Systems ยท Rules last reviewed

How we check the rules

We read each Act for the section that sets a rule, then compare it with the regulator's guidance. Where the two disagree, we follow the Act and say so on the page.

The calculator is tested against the worked examples the regulators publish, including examples with unpaid leave, leave already taken, averaged hours and dollar amounts. A few official examples need inputs the calculator does not ask for, such as hours for each separate year or total earnings with commission, so they are checked by hand instead. See every example and result.

The tax figure is an estimate using the ATO's 2026-27 resident tax rates and the 2% Medicare levy. Your employer withholds tax using the ATO's Schedule 7 method, so the amount taken from your final pay can differ.

Where official sources disagree or are silent

  • NT: nt.gov.au says that after the 10-year leave is used, payout covers each completed five years only, and reads as limiting any payout to listed reasons; the Act (s 10(1), 10(1A)) pays an entitled employee who leaves for any reason and limits to 5-year blocks only on serious-misconduct dismissal. Follow the Act and note the difference on the site.
  • NT: The Act sets pro-rata at 7 to under 10 years (s 10(2)); the nt.gov.au page gives no minimum.
  • ACT: WorkSafe ACT calculation guideline Example 3 publishes $2,876.60; its own inputs give $474 x 6.0667 = $2,875.62. Calculate, don't copy.
  • VIC: Business Victoria publishes Dragan's 260-week average as $1,661.53; its own inputs give $1,653.85.
  • WA: The WA calculator page text says 0.8666 weeks per completed year after 10 years, but its JavaScript uses 0.8667 and rounds to 2 decimals each step.
  • QLD: Business Queensland's pro-rata reason list omits s 95(4)(d) (fixed term ending when the employee expected to reach 10 years).
  • VIC: 6.0667 weeks at 7 years is derived (364/60); official pages say 'approximately 6.1 weeks'. Show both or round consistently.
  • QLD: Retirement is not a pro-rata ground at 7-10 years unless the employee leaves for illness or pressing necessity (s 95(4)); any conduct/capacity/performance dismissal also gets nothing unless unfair. Fixed-term expiry (s 95(4)(d)) has no reason code yet.
  • WA: The official WA calculator gives 7.23 or 7.24 weeks for the Riley example depending on start date; engine tests allow +/-0.01.
  • tax: Schedule 7 (from 1 July 2026): under $300 normal-termination long service leave withholds the lesser of the table amount or 32%; the older ATO 'calculate' page still says a flat 32%. Follow Schedule 7.
  • SA: A worker who resigns without giving the required notice can lose pro-rata long service leave (guide example Ajay). Use reason code resignation_without_required_notice; the employer 'has the legal option to withhold', so show it as a risk rather than a certain zero.

7 questions have no official answer at the moment, for example whether ACT employees can cash out leave while still employed. Where that affects a result, the page says so.

Sources by state

New South Wales

Victoria

Queensland

Western Australia

South Australia

Tasmania

Australian Capital Territory

Northern Territory

Last reviewed 3 November 2026.