Long service leave calculator, South Australia
See how much long service leave you have earned in South Australia, and what it is worth if it is paid out — under the Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA).
The calculator
Long service leave in South Australia is set by the Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA), 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 SA entitlement in full
| Governing Act | Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA) |
|---|---|
| Qualifying period | 10 years of continuous service |
| Leave at the qualifying point | 13 weeks |
| Accrual after that | 1.3 weeks for each further year |
| Pro-rata on resignation | Resignation: from 7 years. An employee who leaves at any time after 7 years of continuous service is, in most circumstances, entitled to a proportionate payment of long service leave. An employee dismissed without notice for serious misconduct may lose the entitlement. |
| Pro-rata when the employer ends it | Termination: from 7 years. An employee whose employment ends after 7 years of continuous service is entitled to a proportionate payment. An employee dismissed without notice for serious misconduct may lose the entitlement. |
Worked example
Ten years of continuous service — 13 weeks on full pay
10 years of continuous service in South Australia earns 13 weeks of long service leave (65 working days). At $1500 a week that is $19,500.00 before tax.
Checked against https://www.safework.sa.gov.au/workers/wages-and-conditions/long-service-leave. 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 Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA), you reach the qualifying point at 10 years of continuous service with the same employer, and that earns 13 weeks of leave. Each further year adds 1.3 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.
South Australia is the most generous mainland scale: 13 weeks after 10 years, and a further 1.3 weeks for each completed year after that — half as much again as the 8.6667 weeks most states grant. Pro-rata is also comparatively broad, being available in most circumstances once 7 years is reached. An employee with 10 or more years can agree with their employer to cash out part or all of the accrued leave. This calculator assumes unbroken continuous service with one employer.
Leaving before 10 years
- If you resign: from 7 years. An employee who leaves at any time after 7 years of continuous service is, in most circumstances, entitled to a proportionate payment of long service leave. An employee dismissed without notice for serious misconduct may lose the entitlement.
- If your employer ends the job: from 7 years. An employee whose employment ends after 7 years of continuous service is entitled to a proportionate payment. An employee dismissed without notice for serious misconduct may lose the entitlement.
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 Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA), 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 South Australia?
- South Australia gives 13 weeks after 10 years of continuous service — half as much again as the 8.6667 weeks most states grant — and a further 1.3 weeks for each completed year after that. Enter your service above for the exact figure.
- Can I be paid out if I leave before 10 years?
- An employee who leaves at any time after 7 years of continuous service is, in most circumstances, entitled to a proportionate payment. That is broader than most states, which restrict pro-rata to illness, incapacity or pressing necessity. An employee dismissed without notice for serious misconduct may lose the entitlement.
- Can I cash out long service leave in South Australia?
- Yes, with your employer's agreement. An employee with 10 or more years of service can agree to cash out part or all of the accrued leave. This is unusual — most states require the leave to be taken as leave, or paid out only when the employment ends. SafeWork SA administers the Act and receives enquiries and claims under it.
- 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 Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA) sets out which absences break service and which merely pause it. This calculator assumes your service is unbroken, so check the detail with SafeWork SA 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 Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA), 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
SafeWork SA — Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA), s 3 and s 8
https://www.safework.sa.gov.au/workers/wages-and-conditions/long-service-leave
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