The South Australia rules
| Full entitlement | 10 years → 13 weeks — accrued at 1.3 weeks for every year of service, the equal-highest rate in the country |
|---|---|
| Pro-rata | From 7 years, leaving for any reason (resignation, termination, redundancy) pays out at 1.3 weeks per completed year. Two exclusions: dismissal for serious and wilful misconduct, and unlawfully terminating your own contract (e.g. not giving required notice). |
| Pay basis | Your ordinary weekly rate of pay at the time leave starts or employment ends (variable earnings averaged over 52 weeks; irregular hours over 3 years). |
Worked example
Ten years at $1,500 a week = 13 weeks = $19,500 — about $6,500 more than the same service earns in NSW or Queensland. Even 9 years resigning pays 11.7 weeks ≈ $17,550.
Other states differ — sometimes by thousands of dollars. Compare with the all-states calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Why is South Australia's long service leave so much higher?
SA accrues 1.3 weeks per year instead of the ~0.87 weeks per year used in most states — a historical settings difference that compounds to 13 weeks at 10 years versus 8.67.
Can I take SA long service leave before 10 years?
Leave itself starts at 10 years; the 7-year point matters for payouts when employment ends.
Source: SafeWork SA — accruing long service leave (checked 1 November 2026). General private-sector rules; portable industry schemes and public-sector arrangements differ.