How long service leave works in Western Australia
The full entitlement is 8.667 weeks at 10 years of continuous employment and a further 4.333 weeks for every 5 years after that.
From 7 years, pro-rata is payable when employment ends by resignation (any reason), dismissal, redundancy or death. The only exception is dismissal for serious misconduct — and the burden of proving that sits with the employer.
Since the 20 June 2022 amendments, casual and seasonal employees have the same entitlements as permanent staff, and weeks where the employer simply gave a casual no shifts still count toward continuous employment.
Pay is your normal weekly hours at the ordinary rate. If your hours varied, WA averages them over the relevant accrual period — the first 10 years for the initial entitlement, then each 5-year block — not over your whole career, and regularly-worked overtime hours count toward normal hours (though at ordinary rates).
What sets Western Australia apart
Western Australia is one of four jurisdictions (with Victoria, South Australia and the ACT) where an ordinary resignation from 7 years still collects pro-rata long service leave. If you are weighing up a job offer at 8 years in Perth, you keep your accrued leave; the same move in Sydney or Brisbane would forfeit it.
WA also rewrote its rules for casual and seasonal workers from 20 June 2022. Weeks where the employer simply offered no shifts now count toward continuous employment, which closes a gap that used to cost casuals years of service.
Worked example, step by step
Resigned after 7 years 6 months on $1,800 a week.
- Service: 7 years 6 months of continuous employment.
- Accrual rule in Western Australia: 8.667 weeks per 10 years of service, counted proportionally.
- Leave accrued: 6.50 weeks.
- Payable on this exit? Yes. From 7 years, WA pays pro-rata on resignation for any reason. The only exit that forfeits it is dismissal for serious misconduct, and the employer has to prove that.
- Gross payout: 6.5003 weeks × $1,800 = $11,700 before tax.
Worked examples
| Scenario | Accrued | Payable? | Gross value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resigned at 8 years on $1,900/week | 6.9 wks | Yes | $13,174 |
| Still employed at 10 years on $1,900/week | 8.7 wks | Can take leave | ≈ $16,467 if taken |
| Redundant at 13 years on $1,900/week | 11.3 wks | Yes | $21,407 |
| Dismissed for serious misconduct at 8 years on $1,900/week | 6.9 wks | No | — |
| Resigned at 6 years on $1,900/week | 5.2 wks | No | — |
Casuals, part-timers and changing hours
Since the 2022 amendments, casual and seasonal employees in WA have exactly the same long service leave entitlements as permanent staff, and gaps between shifts or seasons where the employer provided no work still count toward continuous employment.
Where hours varied, WA averages your normal weekly hours over the relevant accrual period: the first 10 years for the initial entitlement, then each 5-year block after that. It does not use your whole career. Overtime you worked regularly counts toward normal hours, but it is paid at the ordinary time rate, and shift premiums, penalty rates and allowances are excluded.
Common mistakes in Western Australia
- Averaging hours over the whole career. WA uses the accrual period, which can produce a higher or lower figure.
- Leaving regular overtime out of normal hours. If it was regular, the hours count, even though the premium does not.
- Treating a no-shift period as a break. After June 2022 it is not a break in WA.
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
Do I get long service leave if I resign after 7 years in WA?
Yes — WA pays pro-rata long service leave on resignation for any reason from 7 years, one of only a few states that do. Only serious-misconduct dismissal forfeits it.
How is WA long service leave calculated for casuals?
Casual and seasonal employees accrue exactly like permanent staff since the 2022 amendments. Weeks with no shifts offered still count, and averaging uses the accrual period, with casual loading included in the rate.
Who do I contact about long service leave in WA?
WA Private Sector Labour Relations runs Wageline on 1300 655 266 — they publish the authoritative WA LSL guidance and can investigate underpayments.
Does overtime count in WA long service leave pay?
Regularly-worked overtime hours count toward your normal weekly hours, but the payout is at your ordinary time rate — overtime premiums themselves are excluded.
Do I get WA long service leave if I resign at 6 years?
No. WA pro-rata starts at 7 years. Below that, no payout arises on leaving, though your service keeps accruing while you stay.
Who has to prove serious misconduct in WA?
The employer. Dismissal for serious misconduct is the only exit that forfeits WA pro-rata from 7 years, and the onus sits with the employer to establish it.
Verify with the official authority
Western Australia long service leave is governed by the Long Service Leave Act 1958 (WA). The official authority is WA Private Sector Labour Relations (Wageline) (1300 655 266) — 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
- South 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.
- Overview of long service leave in WA (WA Government), checked 7 August 2026.
- Long service leave when employment ends (WA) (WA Government), checked 7 August 2026.
- Long service leave for casual and seasonal employees (WA) (WA Government), checked 7 August 2026.
Rules last verified 2026-08-07. Estimates only. Independent guide — not a government service, and not financial or legal advice.