By SESAY · Updated 3 October 2026 · Australian context
Scenario: a long-serving employee resigns
Jordan resigns after exactly 12 completed years of continuous employment. Assume the WA Long Service Leave Act applies, no excluded service, no long service leave already taken, unchanged ordinary hours of 38 a week and ordinary pay of $40 an hour. This is not a serious-misconduct dismissal.
Confirm weeks, then apply ordinary pay
For this scenario, the entitlement is 10.4 weeks: the initial ten-year entitlement plus a proportion for two completed years. WA’s termination guidance uses completed years for the additional pro rata calculation after ten years.
| Step | Calculation | Gross amount / result |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmed unused entitlement | 12 ÷ 10 × 8⅔ weeks | 10.4 weeks |
| Ordinary weekly pay | 38 hours × $40 | $1,520.00 |
| LSL payment | 10.4 weeks × $1,520 | $15,808.00 |
What would change the answer?
Previous leave must be accounted for. Variable hours require the applicable averaging approach, which may involve separate accrual periods; using the latest roster alone can give the wrong result. Serious misconduct and service below ten years have different termination rules. A portable scheme or different governing instrument requires a different analysis.
Evidence to retain
Save the coverage decision, service history, hours and rate evidence, leave history and reviewer sign-off. Do not round intermediate entitlement fractions prematurely. Reconcile the result to the payroll entry and explain any adjustment to the recorded balance.
Try the confirmed-entitlement LSL calculator →
How SESAY can help
SESAY can document the applicable rules, reconcile source data, prepare calculation workpapers and coordinate a second review within an agreed scope. Unresolved entitlement questions are escalated before your authorised approver releases payroll.
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General educational information, not individual legal or tax advice. Examples are fictional and gross amounts only. Confirm the instrument, facts and current regulator guidance before processing. Read our editorial policy.