Long Service Leave Calculator ACT
Long service leave in the ACT: weeks accrued, when it can be taken, the pro-rata payout after 5 years and what it is worth.
Long service leave in Australian Capital Territory
8.67 weeksAfter 10 years of continuous service in Australian Capital Territory, an employee has accrued 8.67 weeks of long service leave and can take it now, worth $13,005 at $1,500 a week.
| Continuous service | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Accrual rate (Australian Capital Territory) | 0.8667 weeks per year |
| Accrued so far | 8.67 weeks |
| Available to take now | 8.67 weeks |
| Value at $1,500 a week | $13,005 |
Entitled: 7 years of continuous service reached, so the accrued 8.67 weeks can be taken (or paid out on termination for any reason).
How this was calculated
| Continuous service: 10 years | 10 |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory: 1/5 of a month (about 0.87 weeks) for each year of service; 6.07 weeks after 7 years | 0.87 |
| Accrued: 10 × 0.8667 = 8.67 weeks10 years × 0.8667 weeks/year | 8.67 |
| Available now: 8.67 weeks | 8.67 |
| Value at $1500 a week8.67 × $1500 | $13,005.00 |
Rules: Long Service Leave Act 1976 (ACT).
After 10 years of continuous service in Australian Capital Territory, an employee has accrued 8.67 weeks of long service leave and can take it now, worth $13,005 at $1,500 a week.
Source: WorkSafe ACT Last verified How we keep this accurate
How long service leave works in the ACT
Long service leave in the ACT is set by the Long Service Leave Act 1976 (ACT), not the national Fair Work Act, so the rules differ from other states. This is how the calculator works it out:
- Count continuous service with the one employer (or a related business). Paid leave counts. Absence with the employer's leave, which includes unpaid parental leave, does not break continuity but the period is not counted as service (s 2G(2)(c), s 2G(5)).
- Accrue at 0.8667 weeks a year: 1/5 of a month (about 0.87 weeks) for each year of service; 6.07 weeks after 7 years.
- Subtract leave already taken or paid out.
- Check the stage. Leave can be taken once 7 years are reached. If employment ends after 5 years, a pro-rata payment can apply on the grounds the Act lists: after 5 years but before 7, if employment ends because the employee leaves due to illness, incapacity or a domestic or other pressing necessity, the employee retires at or after the minimum retiring age, the employee dies, or the employer terminates for a reason other than serious and wilful misconduct (lsl act 1976 s 11c). after 7 years the accrued credit is paid on cessation for any reason (s 11a).
- Value it at ordinary pay: the normal weekly rate, excluding overtime, multiplied by the weeks available.
| Accrual | 1/5 of a month (about 0.87 weeks) for each year of service; 6.07 weeks after 7 years |
|---|---|
| Leave can be taken after | 7 years of continuous service |
| Pro-rata payout on termination | After 5 years. After 5 years but before 7, if employment ends because the employee leaves due to illness, incapacity or a domestic or other pressing necessity, the employee retires at or after the minimum retiring age, the employee dies, or the employer terminates for a reason other than serious and wilful misconduct (LSL Act 1976 s 11C). After 7 years the accrued credit is paid on cessation for any reason (s 11A). |
| Casual employees | Covered. Casual employees are covered where they are offered regular and systematic employment (Dictionary, "casual employee"). |
| Parental leave | Absence with the employer's leave, which includes unpaid parental leave, does not break continuity but the period is not counted as service (s 2G(2)(c), s 2G(5)). |
| Regulator | WorkSafe ACT |
| Source | Long Service Leave Act 1976 (ACT) · last checked 2026-09-25 · verified |
Points still to be confirmed against the Act: Could not confirm whether paid parental leave counts as service; does not affect the calculation.
How many weeks of long service leave after 10 years in the ACT?
After 10 years of continuous service in the ACT, an employee has 8.67 weeks of long service leave. After 15 years it is 13 weeks and after 20 years 17.33 weeks. Valued at $1,500 a week, the 10-year entitlement is worth $13,005.
| Years of service | Weeks accrued | Can take now | Payable if employment ends | Value on termination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4.33 | Not yet | Nil | — |
| 7 | 6.07 | 6.07 | 6.07 | $9,105 |
| 8 | 6.93 | 6.93 | 6.93 | $10,395 |
| 10 | 8.67 | 8.67 | 8.67 | $13,005 |
| 12 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.4 | $15,600 |
| 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | $19,500 |
| 20 | 17.33 | 17.33 | 17.33 | $25,995 |
* Pro-rata payment, subject to the conditions in the rules table.
What happens to long service leave if I leave my job in the ACT?
Nothing is payable before 5 years of continuous service. From 5 years, a proportionate payment applies only when the employment ends on a ground the Act allows: after 5 years but before 7, if employment ends because the employee leaves due to illness, incapacity or a domestic or other pressing necessity, the employee retires at or after the minimum retiring age, the employee dies, or the employer terminates for a reason other than serious and wilful misconduct (lsl act 1976 s 11c). after 7 years the accrued credit is paid on cessation for any reason (s 11a). Choose the reason in the calculator to see whether it qualifies. From 7 years, the full accrued balance is paid out on termination for any reason, since the entitlement has vested. Long service leave paid on termination is taxed as an employment termination component under ATO rules, which is outside this calculator.
How the ACT compares with other states
| State | Take leave after | Pro-rata after | Weeks after 10 years | Act |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 10 years | 5 years | 8.67 | Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW) |
| Victoria | 7 years | 7 years | 8.67 | Long Service Leave Act 2018 (Vic) |
| Queensland | 10 years | 7 years | 8.67 | Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld), Chapter 2 Part 3 Division 9 |
| Western Australia | 10 years | 7 years | 8.67 | Long Service Leave Act 1958 (WA) |
| South Australia | 10 years | 7 years | 13 | Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA) |
| Tasmania | 10 years | 7 years | 8.67 | Long Service Leave Act 1976 (Tas) |
| Australian Capital Territory | 7 years | 5 years | 8.67 | Long Service Leave Act 1976 (ACT) |
| Northern Territory | 10 years | 7 years | 13 | Long Service Leave Act 1981 (NT) |
What this calculator doesn’t cover
- Employees covered by a federal award or agreement with its own long service leave clause, or by a portable long service leave scheme (construction, cleaning, security and community services in some states).
- Averaging rules for employees whose hours changed during their service; the calculator uses the weekly pay you enter.
- Breaks in service, business transfers and casual continuity tests, which are set out in the Act.
- Tax on a long service leave payout.
Frequently asked questions
How is long service leave calculated in the ACT?
In the ACT, long service leave accrues at 1/5 of a month (about 0.87 weeks) for each year of service; 6.07 weeks after 7 years under the Long Service Leave Act 1976 (ACT). Multiply the years of continuous service by 0.8667 weeks to get the accrued balance, then multiply by ordinary weekly pay for the dollar value. Leave can be taken once 7 years of continuous service are reached; a pro-rata payment can apply from 5 years if employment ends.
How many weeks of long service leave after 10 years in the ACT?
Ten years of continuous service in the ACT gives 8.67 weeks of long service leave. After 15 years it is 13 weeks and after 20 years 17.33 weeks, because the leave keeps accruing at 0.8667 weeks a year for as long as the employment continues. Leave already taken is deducted from the balance.
Can long service leave be paid out after 5 years in the ACT?
Only on the grounds the Act lists. After 5 years but before 7, if employment ends because the employee leaves due to illness, incapacity or a domestic or other pressing necessity, the employee retires at or after the minimum retiring age, the employee dies, or the employer terminates for a reason other than serious and wilful misconduct (LSL Act 1976 s 11C). After 7 years the accrued credit is paid on cessation for any reason (s 11A). Before 5 years no long service leave is payable, whatever the reason for leaving. The calculator asks why the employment is ending and applies the the ACT rule; the regulator (WorkSafe ACT) can confirm an individual case.
Do casual employees get long service leave in the ACT?
Yes. Casual employees are covered where they are offered regular and systematic employment (Dictionary, "casual employee"). Continuity is the key test: regular casual work with the one employer counts, with breaks allowed under the Act's rules. Hours vary, so the leave is valued on average ordinary pay over the period set out in the Long Service Leave Act 1976 (ACT).
Does parental leave count towards long service leave in the ACT?
Absence with the employer's leave, which includes unpaid parental leave, does not break continuity but the period is not counted as service (s 2G(2)(c), s 2G(5)). Other unpaid leave generally does not count as service but does not break continuity, so the clock pauses rather than resets. Paid leave of any kind counts as service in every state.
How much is my long service leave worth?
Long service leave is paid at ordinary pay: the employee's normal weekly rate excluding overtime, at the time the leave is taken or paid out. Multiply the weeks available by ordinary weekly pay. For example, 8.67 weeks after 10 years at $1,500 a week is $13,005. Enter your weekly pay in the calculator to see your figure.
Is long service leave the same in every state?
No. Each state and territory has its own Act. Victoria and the ACT let employees take leave after 7 years; most others require 10 years. South Australia and the Northern Territory give 13 weeks after 10 years, while the others give about 8.67 weeks. Pro-rata rules on termination also differ. Use the calculator for the state where the work is performed.
Sources and assumptions
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