Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate for annual leave accrual and costs. It should not be used as a substitute for professional advice or detailed calculations as per your specific employment conditions or applicable laws.
Annual leave is a crucial entitlement for employees, allowing them to take paid time off from work. If you’re based in New South Wales (NSW) and want to calculate your annual leave accrual, entitlements, or loading, our NSW Annual Leave Calculator makes it easy. Whether you’re an employee tracking your leave balance or an employer managing entitlements, this guide will help you understand how annual leave is calculated in NSW.
In NSW, full-time and part-time employees covered by the National Employment Standards (NES) are entitled to four weeks of paid annual leave per year. This accrues progressively throughout the year based on the number of ordinary hours worked.
Annual leave accrual in NSW is based on the following calculation:
Annual Leave Accrued = (Ordinary Hours Worked per Week × 4) ÷ 52
For example, if you work 38 hours per week:
(38 × 4) ÷ 52 = 2.923 hours per week
This means a full-time employee accumulates approximately 2.923 hours of annual leave each week.
To calculate your annual leave accrual manually:
If you work irregular hours, use our Annual Leave Accrual Calculator NSW to get an exact figure.
Many employees in NSW are entitled to annual leave loading, which is an extra payment on top of their normal wage when taking annual leave. The standard loading is 17.5% of your base pay rate.
Annual Leave Loading = (Ordinary Weekly Pay × 17.5%) × Number of Weeks Taken
For example, if your ordinary weekly earnings are $1,200 and you take two weeks of leave:
($1,200 × 17.5%) × 2 = $420
This means you receive an additional $420 on top of your normal leave pay.
To calculate your total annual leave balance, follow these steps:
For a simple way to get an exact figure, use our Simple Annual Leave Calculator NSW.
If you need to calculate annual leave in hours, use the following formula:
Total Annual Leave Hours = (Ordinary Hours Worked × 4) ÷ 52 × Number of Years Worked
For example, if you worked 38 hours per week for 2 years:
(38 × 4) ÷ 52 × 2 = 304 hours
This means you have accrued 304 hours of leave over two years.
To ensure you are calculating your annual leave correctly, keep these points in mind:
Annual leave accrues progressively throughout the year based on the number of ordinary hours worked. The standard accrual rate is 2.923 hours per week for full-time employees.
Use the formula: (Ordinary Hours × 4) ÷ 52 to calculate weekly accrual. Part-time employees accrue leave on a pro-rata basis.
Annual leave loading is an additional 17.5% payment on top of your base wage while taking leave. This applies if your award or agreement includes it.
Check your payslip for accrued hours, subtract any leave taken, and multiply by your hourly pay rate.
Employers must pay out unused annual leave as part of your final pay, including any applicable leave loading.
Yes, in certain circumstances, such as business shutdowns or excessive leave balances, an employer can direct you to take leave with reasonable notice.
Only if allowed under an award or agreement, and the employee must retain at least four weeks of leave after cashing out.
Use our NSW Annual Leave Calculator to quickly determine your leave entitlements and plan your time off with confidence.
