Long service leave calculator, Queensland
See how much long service leave you have earned in Queensland, and what it is worth if it is paid out — under the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld).
The calculator
Long service leave in Queensland is set by the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld), not by the national system — so the qualifying period and the amount you accrue differ from other states.
Unbroken service with the same employer. Approved leave usually counts; check the exceptions below.
Your ordinary hours, excluding overtime. Most states use your pay at the time you take the leave.
This is an estimate, not financial or legal advice.
Full rate table
The QLD entitlement in full
| Governing Act | Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld) |
|---|---|
| Qualifying period | 10 years of continuous service |
| Leave at the qualifying point | 8.6667 weeks |
| Accrual after that | 0.86667 weeks for each further year |
| Pro-rata on resignation | Resignation: from 7 years. Between 7 and 10 years, pro-rata long service leave is only paid where the primary reason the employment ended falls within the grounds set out in the Act — the employee's death, illness or incapacity, or a domestic or other pressing necessity. A plain resignation before 10 years attracts nothing. |
| Pro-rata when the employer ends it | Termination: from 7 years. Between 7 and 10 years, an employee whose employment is terminated by the employer for a reason other than the employee's conduct, capacity or performance is paid a proportionate amount. |
Worked example
Ten years of continuous service — the full entitlement under section 95
10 years of continuous service in Queensland earns 8.6667 weeks of long service leave (43.33 working days). At $1500 a week that is $13,000.05 before tax.
Checked against https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/employing/legal-obligations/long-service-leave/entitlements. This figure is re-computed from the rule file on every build, so a page that no longer reproduces its own source example never ships.
How it’s worked out
How long service leave is worked out here
Under the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld), you reach the qualifying point at 10 years of continuous service with the same employer, and that earns 8.6667 weeks of leave. Each further year adds 0.86667 weeks. Accrual is continuous — the qualifying point is when the leave becomes payable, not when it starts building up, which is why a pro-rata payment before that point is worked out on the same per-year rate.
Queensland grants 8.6667 weeks after 10 years of continuous service and continues to accrue at the same rate afterwards. The pro-rata rules between 7 and 10 years are narrower than the headline suggests: the reason the employment ended decides whether anything is payable. This calculator assumes unbroken continuous service with one employer and does not cover the portable schemes for building and construction, contract cleaning, or community services.
Leaving before 10 years
- If you resign: from 7 years. Between 7 and 10 years, pro-rata long service leave is only paid where the primary reason the employment ended falls within the grounds set out in the Act — the employee's death, illness or incapacity, or a domestic or other pressing necessity. A plain resignation before 10 years attracts nothing.
- If your employer ends the job: from 7 years. Between 7 and 10 years, an employee whose employment is terminated by the employer for a reason other than the employee's conduct, capacity or performance is paid a proportionate amount.
Read before you rely on this
What this does not account for
- Continuous service is a legal test, not just elapsed time. Unpaid leave, casual gaps, transfers between related employers and periods of industrial action can each affect it, and this calculator assumes unbroken service.
- Ordinary weekly pay excludes overtime, and several Acts require averaging where your hours or pay have changed — a recent change from full-time to part-time in particular.
- An enterprise agreement, award or contract can give more than the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld), but never less. If yours does, the better entitlement applies and this figure will be low.
- Portable long service leave schemes cover building and construction, contract cleaning, security and community services work in several states. Those schemes have their own registers and rules, and are not modelled here.
- Whether a resignation qualifies as illness, incapacity or pressing necessity is a judgement the relevant authority makes, not something a calculator can decide.
- Long service leave paid out on termination is taxed differently to leave taken while employed. This shows the gross amount only.
Questions
Common questions
- How much long service leave do I get in Queensland?
- Section 95 of the Industrial Relations Act 2016 gives 8.6667 weeks after 10 years of continuous service, and accrual continues at the same rate afterwards — 0.86667 weeks a year. Enter your service above for the exact figure.
- Can I be paid out if I leave before 10 years?
- Between 7 and 10 years Queensland pays pro-rata only where the reason the employment ended falls within the grounds in the Act — the employee's death, illness or incapacity, a domestic or other pressing necessity, or the employer ending the job for a reason other than the employee's conduct, capacity or performance. Resigning to take a better job before 10 years attracts nothing.
- Is Queensland long service leave in an award or in legislation?
- It is in legislation. Unlike most states, Queensland puts long service leave inside its general industrial relations statute rather than a standalone Act — section 95 of the Industrial Relations Act 2016. Separate portable schemes cover building and construction, contract cleaning, and community services work, and those have their own registers.
- What counts as continuous service?
- Continuous service means unbroken employment with the same employer, and it is a legal test rather than just elapsed time. Paid leave normally counts. Unpaid leave, casual gaps, industrial action and transfers between related businesses can each affect it, and the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld) sets out which absences break service and which merely pause it. This calculator assumes your service is unbroken, so check the detail with Business Queensland if you have had a significant gap.
- Is long service leave paid at my current wage?
- Generally yes — it is paid at your ordinary weekly pay, excluding overtime, at the time you take the leave or when the employment ends. Where your hours or pay have changed, several Acts require an average to be used instead, which matters most if you have moved between full-time and part-time work. The figure above uses the single weekly pay you enter, so if your hours have changed materially treat it as approximate.
- Does my enterprise agreement override this?
- An award, enterprise agreement or contract can give you more than the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld), but it can never give you less. If yours has a better long service leave clause, that one applies and the figure above will understate what you are owed. Check your agreement first. Portable schemes for building and construction, contract cleaning, security and community services work also sit outside this calculator and have their own registers.
Across the country
The same service in every state
10 years of continuous service, under each state and territory’s own Act.
| State | Weeks at 10 years | Qualifying period |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Territory | 13 | 10 years |
| South Australia | 13 | 10 years |
| Australian Capital Territory | 8.6667 | 7 years |
| New South Wales | 8.6667 | 10 years |
| Queensland | 8.6667 | 10 years |
| Tasmania | 8.6667 | 10 years |
| Victoria | 8.6667 | 7 years |
| Western Australia | 8.6667 | 10 years |
Where this comes from
Source
Business Queensland — Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld), s 95
https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/employing/legal-obligations/long-service-leave/entitlements
Checked on .
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