Calculate your annual leave pay including the 17.5% leave loading paid under most awards. Two weeks of leave on $1,200 a week pays $2,400 plus $420 of loading, so $2,820 before tax.
Annual Leave Loading Calculator
Leave pay with the 17.5% loading, and how fast leave builds up · Updated 12 October 2026
- Base pay for the leave
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- Leave loading
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- Annual leave earned per year
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- Leave earned per week worked
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Before tax. Leave loading is taxed as ordinary income. Some awards pay shift workers the higher of the loading or the shift penalties they would have earned.
How annual leave and leave loading work
- Under the National Employment Standards, full-time and part-time employees get 4 weeks of paid annual leave a year, pro-rated for part-time hours. Some shift workers get 5 weeks.
- Annual leave builds up progressively from the first day, based on ordinary hours worked: 4 weeks a year is about 2.92 hours for every 38-hour week.
- Casual employees don’t get paid annual leave; their casual loading is paid instead.
- Leave loading is not part of the NES. It comes from your award, enterprise agreement or contract, and most modern awards set it at 17.5%.
Examples
| Weekly base pay | Leave taken | Base leave pay | 17.5% loading | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $900 | 1 week | $900.00 | $157.50 | $1,057.50 |
| $1,200 | 2 weeks | $2,400.00 | $420.00 | $2,820.00 |
| $1,500 | 4 weeks | $6,000.00 | $1,050.00 | $7,050.00 |
Leave loading when you leave a job
Unused annual leave must be paid out when employment ends. Under many awards, leave loading is also paid on that unused leave, calculated the same way as when you take it. Check your award or agreement.
FAQs
Is leave loading taxed?
Yes. Leave loading is ordinary income, so tax is withheld as part of your pay. Leave loading paid with your normal pay counts toward your income for the year like any other wages.
Does super apply to leave loading?
Generally, super is payable on leave loading that relates to ordinary hours, but not if the loading is clearly for lost overtime opportunities. Ask your employer which applies to you.
Related calculators
Sources
Figures current as of 12 October 2026
Each formula is checked against a separate test sheet with at least three worked examples. Results are estimates based on the numbers you enter and the published rules; your actual figures may differ. This is general information, not financial or tax advice.
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