Casuals are entitled to long service leave

This announcement is for: 
Employee / workerEmployer

A common misconception amongst employers and employees is that casual employees are not entitled to long service leave.

The state long service leave obligations in the Long Service Leave Act apply to most WA businesses, including businesses covered by national modern awards. Under the Long Service Leave Act, full time, part time and casual employees are all entitled to long service leave.

The long service leave entitlement under the Act for all employees is:

  • After 10 years of continuous employment working in the same business - 82/3 weeks paid leave.
  • For every 5 years of continuous employment working in the same business after the initial 10 years - 41/3 weeks paid leave.

To calculate the long service leave entitlement for a casual employee, the hours the employee has worked per week are averaged for the period of employment during which the long service leave accrued.

Details about long service leave entitlement in WA are available on the Long service leave page.

Employers must keep records to accurately record service and calculate when long service leave falls due. An employer will also need to keep records of what long service leave is taken by employees and what they are paid during any period of leave. The Record keeping requirements page provides details of what records employers are required to keep and the penalties that apply if employers fail to do so.

Labour Relations
Department News
06 Aug 2018

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