Queensland Long Service Leave After 20 Years: Entitlements & Accrual

Long service leave can creep up on small businesses.

One day you’re running a lean team and focusing on growth, and the next you’ve got a valued long-term employee asking what their Queensland long service leave entitlement looks like after 20 years of service - and you need to work out what they’re owed, when they can take it, and how to manage the impact on your cash flow and rostering.

The tricky part is that long service leave (LSL) in Queensland has its own rules, and it’s not always as simple as “10 years equals X weeks, 20 years equals Y weeks” unless you know which scheme applies and what counts as service. It can depend on things like continuous service, whether a different long service leave scheme applies (for example, a portable long service leave arrangement in a particular industry), and what counts as service (including some types of unpaid leave and authorised absences).

Below, we’ll walk you through how long service leave in Queensland works from an employer perspective, including the key entitlements at 10 years and what your employee’s entitlement typically looks like by 20 years.

What Is Long Service Leave In QLD (And Who Does It Apply To)?

Long service leave is a paid leave entitlement that recognises an employee’s long, continuous service with the same employer.

In Queensland, long service leave is generally governed by Queensland legislation for employees whose employment is based in Queensland, unless a separate long service leave scheme applies (for example, some industries have portable long service leave systems, and some industrial instruments may contain specific long service leave terms). This means many small businesses will need to manage LSL under Queensland’s framework for employees who have a long and stable employment relationship.

Why This Matters For Small Businesses

LSL isn’t just a “nice to have” benefit - it’s a legal entitlement that can become a significant liability on your books over time.

If you have team members nearing 10, 15, or 20 years of service, it’s worth planning ahead so you can:

• budget for a large leave payment (or period of paid leave);
• reduce operational disruption when the leave is taken;
• avoid payroll mistakes that can create disputes or underpayments.

LSL planning often sits alongside your other employment documentation, like having a clear Employment Contract that sets expectations around leave processes, notice requirements, and how you’ll manage extended absences.

How Much Long Service Leave In QLD After 10 Years And 20 Years?

One of the most common questions business owners ask is: how many weeks is long service leave QLD?

In Queensland (under the standard Queensland long service leave rules), the statutory entitlement is commonly expressed as:

• After 10 years of continuous service: the employee is entitled to 8.6667 weeks of long service leave (often described as 8 weeks and 13 days).
• After each further 5 years of continuous service: the employee becomes entitled to a further 4.3333 weeks (often described as 4 weeks and 6.5 days).

So, in many cases, an employee who reaches 20 years of continuous service will have accrued a total entitlement of approximately 17.3333 weeks of long service leave (that is, 8.6667 weeks at 10 years, plus 4.3333 weeks at 15 years, plus another 4.3333 weeks at 20 years) - minus any long service leave they have already taken.

Keep in mind that the actual amount payable can still depend on the employee’s ordinary hours and their relevant rate of pay when the leave is taken (or paid out), especially if their hours have changed over time.

Is 20 Years A “Second Big Trigger” For LSL?

In many workplaces, 10 years is treated as the big milestone because that’s when a substantial long service leave entitlement becomes available. At 20 years, the focus is often less about a brand-new concept and more about:

• confirming the employee’s total accrual over a long period;
• checking whether they’ve already taken some of their long service leave (for example, shortly after the 10-year mark); and
• managing the operational and cash-flow impact if they request a significant block of leave.

If you’re unsure what your employee is owed, it’s usually best to calculate based on their continuous service history and then check whether any applicable industrial instrument or separate scheme affects the outcome.

For Queensland-specific guidance on calculating entitlements (including pro-rata scenarios), it can help to cross-check your approach against pro-rata long service leave calculations in Queensland.

How Does Long Service Leave Accrual Work In QLD?

To manage long service leave properly (especially for employees approaching 20 years), it helps to understand how long service leave accrual in QLD works in practice.

Accrual generally builds progressively across an employee’s continuous service period, even if the employee can’t take the full entitlement until they reach the relevant eligibility point.

What Counts As “Continuous Service”?

Continuous service is one of the most important concepts in long service leave. In simple terms, it refers to the employee maintaining an ongoing employment relationship with your business.

However, continuous service isn’t always “unbroken work”. Certain absences may still count as service (or may not break service), including periods such as:

• approved paid leave (like annual leave);
• some unpaid leave arrangements;
• certain absences due to illness or injury; and
• other authorised absences.

This is where small recordkeeping gaps can become expensive 15-20 years later. If you can’t confidently reconstruct service history, it becomes harder to defend your calculations if a dispute arises.

Part-Time, Casual And Changing Hours

Long service leave in Queensland isn’t just for full-time employees.

If you employ part-time staff long term, their LSL entitlement still accrues, but the payment value will reflect their ordinary hours and rate of pay at the time the leave is taken (or paid out).

For casual employees, eligibility and accrual often depend on whether they have been employed on a continuous basis and how “continuous service” is assessed in their particular circumstances.

If you’ve had employees move between full-time and part-time (or their hours change significantly over the years), it becomes especially important to calculate LSL carefully and document how you got to the final figure.

Practical Tip: Track LSL As A Long-Term Liability

From a business planning perspective, it can help to treat long service leave as a growing liability you monitor over time. That way:

• you’re less likely to be caught out when someone reaches 10 years, 15 years, or 20 years; and
• you can plan staffing coverage in advance for extended leave periods.

When Can An Employee Take Long Service Leave In QLD (Including At 20 Years)?

Another common question is: when can you take long service leave in QLD?

From an employer perspective, the best way to think about it is:

• Eligibility: when the employee qualifies to access LSL (for example, at 10 years of continuous service, and then additional entitlements at later milestones).
• Taking the leave: how and when the employee can take the leave in a way that works operationally (often by agreement, and subject to any applicable rules).

By the time an employee reaches 20 years, they may want to take a substantial block of leave. In practice, businesses often manage LSL by agreement, balancing:

• your employee’s request (and their personal plans);
• business needs (busy periods, key projects, staff coverage); and
• any requirements under applicable laws or industrial instruments.

Can Long Service Leave Be Taken In Blocks?

Often, yes - long service leave may be taken as a continuous period, and in some cases it can be taken in smaller chunks if you and the employee agree (and if the relevant rules allow it).

From a small business point of view, splitting long service leave into blocks can sometimes be easier to manage operationally (for example, taking 2-4 weeks at a time rather than a longer absence).

To avoid misunderstandings, it’s a good idea to set out a consistent leave request and approval process in your internal Workplace Policy, including how much notice you expect and how you’ll handle peak periods.

Do You Have To Approve The Timing They Want?

This depends on the circumstances and the rules that apply to the employment relationship.

In many cases, the best approach is to:

• ask for the request in writing (dates and whether it’s a block or split);
• check the employee’s balance and eligibility;
• review operational impacts (customer commitments, staffing); and
• respond in writing with approval, a proposed alternative, or a request to discuss options.

If you anticipate issues (for example, your only senior technician wants three months off during your busiest season), getting advice early can help you navigate the options without escalating the situation.

Who Pays Long Service Leave In QLD (And What Happens If Employment Ends)?

Who pays long service leave QLD? In most ordinary small business employment relationships, the employer is responsible for paying long service leave.

This becomes particularly important when employment ends - because LSL may need to be paid out as part of final pay, depending on eligibility, the employee’s length of service, and the reason the employment ends.

LSL On Resignation Or Termination

If an employee resigns or their employment is terminated after a long period of service, you may need to pay out:

• any untaken long service leave they are entitled to; and
• other final entitlements (like annual leave, and sometimes notice or payment in lieu of notice).

In Queensland, it’s also important to be aware of pro-rata long service leave on termination: in many cases, an employee who has completed at least 7 years of continuous service may be entitled to a pro-rata payout if their employment ends (noting that eligibility can depend on the circumstances of the ending and whether there is a lawful basis to refuse payment, such as certain types of serious misconduct).

Final pay can be a common source of disputes if calculations aren’t clear or if you delay payment.

It’s worth having a consistent process for exit payments, and cross-checking your payroll approach against guidance like final pay calculations and payment in lieu of notice, especially where long service leave is part of a larger termination package.

What About Annual Leave And LSL Together?

Long service leave is separate from annual leave, but in real workplaces, employees sometimes request to “combine” them (for example, taking annual leave first and then LSL to create a longer absence).

If you’re navigating resignation-related leave balances, it can also help to understand how annual leave on resignation interacts with final pay obligations generally.

If You Sell Your Business, Who Carries The LSL Liability?

This is a big one for small business owners planning an exit.

When a business is sold, employee entitlements don’t automatically “disappear”. Depending on how the sale is structured (asset sale vs share sale, and what happens with employee transfers), long service leave liabilities may:

• transfer to the buyer along with the employees; or
• remain with you and be paid out at completion; or
• be dealt with through an adjustment in the purchase price.

If you’re preparing to sell, it’s important to identify accrued long service leave early as part of your employment due diligence, because it can materially affect deal negotiations.

Key Takeaways For Managing Long Service Leave At 20 Years In Queensland

• In Queensland, an employee’s entitlement is typically 8.6667 weeks after 10 years, and then a further 4.3333 weeks after each additional 5 years - so by 20 years, many employees have accrued about 17.3333 weeks in total, less any leave already taken.
• While 10 years is a key eligibility milestone, Queensland also has pro-rata long service leave rules that can apply on termination after a shorter period (commonly from 7 years), depending on the circumstances.
• To manage LSL confidently, you need clean records of continuous service, including changes in hours and any long absences.
• LSL can be operationally disruptive if you don’t plan for it - consider budgeting for the liability and setting clear internal processes for leave requests and approvals.
• When employment ends, LSL may form part of final pay (alongside annual leave and potentially notice-related payments), so it’s worth checking calculations carefully.
• If you’re selling your business, LSL liabilities can affect the sale structure and price adjustments - it’s best identified and managed early.

If you’d like help reviewing your long service leave obligations in Queensland or putting the right employment documents and policies in place, you can reach us at 1800 730 617 or team@sprintlaw.com.au for a free, no-obligations chat.

This article is general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice tailored to your situation (including whether a separate scheme or industrial instrument applies), get in touch with a lawyer.