Annual Leave & Termination Payout Calculator
Estimate how much annual leave you’ve accrued and the gross payout if you leave your job. Based on the National Employment Standards — but your award or agreement can set different rules, so treat this as a guide.
Result
Conditional estimate- Gross leave payout
- $20,769.23
- Base pay for leave
- $20,769.23
- Accrued leave
- 456.0 hrs (12.00 weeks)
- Estimate of the GROSS payout only. Tax on unused leave paid at termination uses the ATO’s specific withholding method, so your net amount will be lower — we don’t calculate that here.
- Annual leave is paid at your base rate of pay (excluding overtime, penalties, allowances and bonuses). Your award or agreement may set a different method.
- Long service leave and redundancy pay are separate entitlements and aren’t included here.
How this is calculated
- Annual leave accrued456.00 h (12.00 wks)
4 wks × 38 h × 3.00 yrs - Base hourly rate$45.55 /h
- Base pay for leave$20,769.23
456.00 h × $45.55 - Gross leave payout$20,769.23
Before tax — the final-pay withholding on unused leave is calculated separately by your employer.
Assumptions
- 4 weeks’ leave a year on 38 ordinary hours per week.
- Accrued over 3 years of service.
- Hourly rate derived from annual salary ÷ (ordinary hours × 52).
- No leave loading applied.
Worked example
A full-time employee on $90,000 (38 ordinary hours) accrues about 152 hours (4 weeks) of annual leave a year. After 3 years with none taken, that’s 456 hours — a gross payout of roughly $20,769 at their base rate, or about $24,404 if 17.5% leave loading applies. Tax is deducted separately.
Official sources
- Fair Work — annual leave fact sheetEmployees (other than casuals) accrue 4 weeks’ paid annual leave a year, based on ordinary hours.
- Fair Work — payment for annual leave
- Fair Work — final pay
Rule set: au-nes-annual-leave
Frequently asked questions
How much annual leave do I accrue?
Under the NES, full-time and part-time employees accrue 4 weeks of paid annual leave for each year of service (5 weeks for certain shiftworkers), building up continuously on your ordinary hours. For a full-time 38-hour week that’s about 152 hours a year; part-timers accrue pro-rata on their actual hours. Casual employees don’t accrue paid annual leave.
How much is my leave payout if I resign?
When you leave, your employer must pay out any accrued but untaken annual leave, as if you had taken it — at your base pay rate. If leave loading applied during your employment, it’s generally included. Enter your balance and rate above for a gross estimate. Note the amount is taxed under the ATO’s final-pay method, so your net will be lower.
Is 17.5% leave loading mandatory?
No. Leave loading isn’t part of the NES — it comes from awards and enterprise agreements, and 17.5% is the most common figure but not universal. Check your award or agreement to see if it applies to you. This calculator only adds loading if you turn it on.
Does annual leave accrue during unpaid leave?
Generally no — annual leave accrues on ordinary hours, and most periods of unpaid leave don’t count as service for accrual (unpaid parental leave and some others are treated specifically). If you’ve had unpaid leave, reduce your years of service or hours accordingly, or enter your actual balance instead.
What isn’t included in this estimate?
It’s a gross estimate of annual leave only. It doesn’t calculate tax on the payout (the ATO uses a specific withholding method for unused leave at termination), and it doesn’t cover long service leave, redundancy pay, personal/carer’s leave or award-specific rules. For those, check Fair Work or your award.
Related calculators
Reviewed 1 November 2026 against Fair Work guidance. A gross estimate based on the NES — your award or agreement may set different accrual, rates or loading, and tax on a termination payout is calculated separately. Not legal advice; check Fair Work or your award.