Calculate Your Annual Leave
Understanding Annual Leave in Australia
What is Annual Leave?
Annual leave is paid time off work that Australian employees accrue throughout their employment. It's a fundamental employment entitlement under the Australian Fair Work Act 2009, providing workers with paid rest and recreation time.
Annual Leave Entitlements
Under the Fair Work Act, most Australian employees are entitled to a minimum of four weeks (20 days) of paid annual leave for each year of service. This entitlement is based on an employee's ordinary hours of work.
How Annual Leave Accrues
Annual leave accrues progressively throughout the year based on your employment period and the hours you work. The accrual rate is approximately 0.769 hours for every 38 hours worked for full-time employees. This means:
- Full-time employees typically accrue 4 weeks (152 hours) of annual leave per year
- Part-time employees accrue annual leave on a pro-rata basis, calculated proportionally based on their hours worked
- Casual employees are generally paid a higher hourly rate but do not accrue annual leave
Taking Annual Leave
Employees can request annual leave at any time during their employment, and employers cannot unreasonably refuse a leave request. However, employers have the right to manage when leave is taken to ensure business operations continue smoothly. It's common practice to discuss and schedule leave in advance.
Leave Loading
Some modern awards and enterprise agreements include "leave loading" (also known as holiday pay loading), which is an additional payment when taking annual leave. This is typically 17.5% on top of your base pay rate. Leave loading has been progressively removed from many modern awards, so check your specific award or employment agreement.
Annual Leave for New Employees
New employees don't receive their full annual leave entitlement immediately. Leave accrues from the start of employment. For example, if you've worked for 6 months, you'll have accrued approximately half your annual entitlement.
Annual Leave and Public Holidays
Annual leave does not include public holidays. If a public holiday falls within your annual leave period, you remain entitled to that public holiday pay without reducing your annual leave balance.
Unused Annual Leave
Unlike some countries, Australian employees can carry over unused annual leave. There's no automatic expiry, though employers may require employees to take leave if a significant balance accumulates (generally 8 weeks or more in most modern awards).
Cashing Out Annual Leave
Under certain conditions and with mutual agreement between employer and employee, some annual leave can be "cashed out" (taken as payment instead of time off). There are strict requirements around this, and employees must always retain at least 4 weeks of accrued annual leave.
Annual Leave on Termination
When employment ends, you're entitled to payment for any accrued annual leave you haven't taken. This is calculated based on your accrued leave balance and your current rate of pay. Any accrued annual leave is paid out in full.
Additional Information
The information provided by this calculator is based on the standard entitlements under the Fair Work Act 2009. Your specific entitlements may vary depending on:
- Your modern award or enterprise agreement
- Your employment contract
- Your specific employment arrangement
Always consult your employer, HR department, or the Fair Work Ombudsman for advice specific to your situation.