Annual Leave Accrual Calculator
Calculate your accrued annual leave hours and dollar value based on your years of service and hourly rate. Includes 17.5% leave loading.
Disclaimer
This calculator provides estimates for general information purposes only. Results should not be relied upon as professional financial, tax, or legal advice. Tax rates and thresholds are based on publicly available ATO data and may change. Always consult a qualified tax agent or financial adviser for advice specific to your circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much annual leave am I entitled to?
What is leave loading and who gets it?
Can I be paid out my annual leave?
Does leave accrue while I'm on leave?
What is Annual Leave Accrual?
Australian full-time employees are entitled to 4 weeks (152 hours) of paid annual leave per year under the National Employment Standards (NES). Shift workers may get 5 weeks. Part-time employees accrue pro-rata. Casual employees do not accrue paid annual leave but receive a 25% casual loading.
How this calculator works
This calculator computes your accrued annual leave based on years of service and weekly hours, then deducts any leave already taken. It values the balance at your hourly rate and optionally adds the 17.5% leave loading common in many awards. The calculation assumes continuous service (no unpaid leave gaps). Casual employees are not covered.
How Annual Leave Accrues
Annual leave accrues continuously based on hours worked: 0.0769 hours of leave per ordinary hour worked (152 / (38 × 52)). For a full-time employee on 38 hrs/week, that's 2.92 hrs/week, 5.85 hrs/fortnight, or 12.67 hrs/month. Part-time employees accrue pro-rata based on actual hours. Annual leave continues to accrue while you're on paid leave (annual, sick, paid parental for first 12 months).
Leave Loading (17.5%)
Many modern awards and enterprise agreements pay an additional 17.5% on top of base pay when you take annual leave. It's designed to compensate for missed overtime/penalty rates while on leave. Check your award — if it doesn't specify loading, you don't get it. Leave loading is taxable income (PAYG withheld).
Cashing Out Leave
You can cash out annual leave during employment only if your award or enterprise agreement allows it AND you must keep at least 4 weeks of leave accrued. Maximum cash-out per year is usually 2 weeks. Always paid out on termination, regardless of award.
Direction to Take Leave
Employers can direct you to take annual leave in limited circumstances: shutdown periods (e.g. Christmas), or excessive accrued leave (typically over 8 weeks). The direction must be reasonable (notice period, balance considerations).
Updated for the 2025-26 financial year (1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026).
Official Sources
All calculations are performed in your browser — your data never leaves your device. Results are for general guidance only and should not be considered professional financial advice.
Built and maintained by Konstantin Iakovlev. Data sourced from the ATO and official Australian government sources.