Member's Guide to ADF Pay and Conditions in Australia – see Disclaimer – check PACMAN for full details

5.4 Long service leave

Long service leave is available after 10 years' service. You can use it to get an extended period away from work.

Accrual rate

A three-month leave credit accrues after 10 years' service. After that, nine calendar days' leave accrues every year.

Service

Full-time and part-time service counts towards the 10 years. Absences without leave of more than one day will not count. Leave without pay of more than three months will not count either. It may be possible to count employment before joining the ADF, including Reserve service. This may be possible where the other employer was a government body in Australia, and where the gap before joining the ADF was less than a year. You should seek advice in plenty of time if this seems to apply to you.

Grants of leave

Long service leave can be granted at full or half pay. Half pay long service leave uses up the leave credits half as fast, so the leave lasts twice as long. The leave is granted for calendar days, including weekends and public holidays. You should check how much notice is required before the leave can be granted. It may be extensive.

The Services have different approaches to granting long periods of half pay long service leave or long service leave just before you leave the ADF. You should check with your career manager before you apply.

Rate of payment

You will be paid long service leave at your substantive rank. It may be possible to pay an acting rank rate in some circumstances. A small number of other allowances may also be paid during the leave. If you choose to take leave at half pay, the rate paid is half these amounts.

Payment instead of long service leave

If you leave the ADF you will be paid for any unused long service leave credits. Members who resign before 10 years' service will not be paid for long service leave.  Some members will get pro rata payment for long service leave if they have at least one year of service. These are members who leave in one of these ways.

· Redundancy.

· Retrenchment.

· Illness.

· They have reached their compulsory retiring age.

Portability between government employers

You may choose not to be paid for your long service leave credits when you leave the ADF. This is because some Government employers will recognise your ADF service for their schemes. For example, you may be able to start in their schemes with a credit. Your choice must be in writing. Before making this choice you should carefully confirm all details with your new employer. It is not safe to assume that they will recognise your ADF service.

You should ask for a statement of your ADF service, to give to a new employer. You may also like to do this if you do not have enough ADF service for a payment instead of long service leave.

Application to Reservists:  Yes, but only when they are on continuous full time service.

Reference:  ADF Pay and Conditions Manual, Chapter 5 Part 3