How long service leave works in South Australia
Under the Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA) you earn 13 weeks for the first 10 years of service and 1.3 weeks for each year after that. Employment status makes no difference to the rate — full-time, part-time and casual workers all accrue the same weeks.
Leaving after 7 completed years (but before 10) pays 1.3 weeks per completed year regardless of why you leave — including ordinary resignation — with exactly two exceptions: dismissal for serious and wilful misconduct, and unlawfully ending the contract yourself (walking out without giving the notice you owe). Note "completed years": at 8 years 11 months, SA pays for 8.
Payout is at your current ordinary rate excluding overtime and penalties. If your hours varied or you were casual, SA averages your weekly hours over the 3 years before the leave — a shorter and usually friendlier window than the eastern states use.
What sets South Australia apart
South Australia shares the top rate in the country with the NT. At 10 years you have 13 weeks, about 50% more than the 8.67 weeks in NSW, Queensland, WA or Tasmania, and every completed year after that adds another 1.3 weeks rather than waiting for a 5-year block.
SA is also one of the four jurisdictions where an ordinary resignation from 7 years is paid out. The catch is the word "completed". The Act grants leave only for completed years of service, so leaving a few weeks before an anniversary costs you the whole of that year.
Worked example, step by step
Resigned after 9 years 10 months on $1,700 a week.
- Service: 9 years 10 months of continuous employment.
- Accrual rule in South Australia: 1.3 weeks for each completed year of service.
- Leave accrued: 11.70 weeks.
- Payable on this exit? Yes. Only 9 completed years count. Waiting 2 more months to pass the 10-year anniversary would add another 1.3 weeks of pay.
- Gross payout: 11.7000 weeks × $1,700 = $19,890 before tax.
Worked examples
| Scenario | Accrued | Payable? | Gross value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resigned at 8 years on $1,650/week | 10.4 wks | Yes | $17,160 |
| Resigned at 8 years 11 months on $1,650/week | 10.4 wks | Yes | $17,160 |
| Still employed at 10 years on $1,650/week | 13.0 wks | Can take leave | ≈ $21,450 if taken |
| Resigned at 6 years 11 months on $1,650/week | 7.8 wks | No | — |
| Made redundant at 15 years on $1,650/week | 19.5 wks | Yes | $32,175 |
Casuals, part-timers and changing hours
Employment status does not change the SA accrual rate: full-time, part-time and casual workers all earn 1.3 weeks per completed year. Casuals qualify through a series of contracts, regular seasonal shutdowns do not break continuity, and being re-employed within 2 months preserves your service.
If your hours were part-time, casual or mixed, SA averages your weekly hours over the 3 years immediately before the leave and pays them at your current ordinary hourly rate, with casual loading included. Commission and piece workers use a 12-month average of income instead.
Common mistakes in South Australia
- Resigning just before an anniversary. Part-years are not paid in SA.
- Walking out without giving the notice you owe. Unlawfully ending the contract yourself is one of the two exits that forfeit pro-rata between 7 and 10 years.
- Using the eastern-states figure. SA is 13 weeks at 10 years, not 8.67.
How the payout is taxed
Long service leave paid out when you leave is taxed separately from your wages. On a genuine redundancy, leave accrued after 17 August 1993 is withheld at a flat 32%; on a resignation or ordinary dismissal it is taxed at your marginal rate. The final pay calculator applies the right treatment, and the redundancy tax guide explains the rules.
Frequently asked questions
How much long service leave do you get in SA?
13 weeks after 10 years — the highest in Australia — then 1.3 weeks per additional year. The 13 weeks is roughly 50% more than NSW, VIC and QLD provide at the same milestone.
Do I get long service leave if I resign in South Australia?
Yes, from 7 completed years — SA pays pro-rata on ordinary resignation, unlike NSW, QLD, TAS and NT. Only serious and wilful misconduct, or resigning without required notice, forfeits it.
Why does my SA payout only count whole years?
The SA Act grants entitlements "only in respect of completed years of service" — 8 years 11 months pays for 8 completed years. If you are close to a year boundary, timing your exit matters.
Who enforces long service leave in SA?
SafeWork SA (1300 365 255) handles LSL enquiries and complaints; unresolved disputes go to the South Australian Employment Tribunal.
What happens to SA long service leave if the employee dies?
The Act vests the entitlement in the personal representative, so the accrued leave is paid to the estate.
How much is 15 years of long service leave in SA?
19.5 weeks: 13 weeks for the first 10 years plus 1.3 weeks for each of the 5 further completed years.
Verify with the official authority
South Australia long service leave is governed by the Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA). The official authority is SafeWork SA (1300 365 255) — verify your specific situation there before acting, especially where continuity (breaks, business sales, parental leave) is in play.
Other states and tools
- New South Wales LSL calculator
- Victoria LSL calculator
- Queensland LSL calculator
- Western Australia LSL calculator
- Tasmania LSL calculator
- Australian Capital Territory LSL calculator
- Northern Territory LSL calculator
- Pro-rata rules in every state
- Long service leave for casuals — continuity rules compared
- Final pay calculator — combine LSL with notice and leave
Sources
Figures on this page come from the following primary sources. The date is when we last checked the page against the source.
- Long Service Leave Act 1987 (SA) (SA Legislation), checked 7 August 2026.
- Long service leave: accruing leave (SA) (SafeWork SA), checked 7 August 2026.
Rules last verified 2026-08-07. Estimates only. Independent guide — not a government service, and not financial or legal advice.