Leave Loading Calculator
Calculate your 17.5% leave loading entitlement on top of your annual leave pay to know your holiday earnings.
Quick Use Samples
Your Pay Details
Leave Loading Calculation
For 4 weeks of annual leave, your normal pay would be $5,000.00. On top of this, you will receive an additional 17.5% leave loading payment of $875.00. This brings your total holiday pay to $5,875.00.
Leave Payout Comparison
💰 Ready to grow your money?
- 🔹 Raiz: Microinvest your spare change
- 🔹 Swyftx: Trade crypto with confidence
We may receive a commission from our partners if you sign up through these links. This helps us keep our tools free.
What is Annual Leave Loading?
Annual leave loading is an extra payment made to some employees in Australia when they take annual leave. It's typically 17.5% of your base pay for the leave period. It was originally introduced to compensate workers for the overtime and penalty rates they would have missed out on while on holiday.
Behind the Formula
The calculator determines your base pay for the period of leave you are taking. It then multiplies this amount by the leave loading rate (usually 17.5%) to find the extra amount you will be paid. The formula is: (Normal Weekly Pay × Number of Leave Weeks) × 0.175.
Expert Insights
- Leave loading is not a universal entitlement. It only applies if it is included in your Modern Award or Enterprise Agreement. Many salaried professionals on individual contracts do not receive it.
- Some agreements state that you are paid the *higher* of either your leave loading or the penalty rates/overtime you would have earned. This is common in industries like hospitality where weekend penalty rates can be higher than the 17.5% loading.
- When your employment ends, you are entitled to be paid out for any unused annual leave. In most cases, this payout must also include the leave loading you would have received if you had taken the leave.
Actionable Tips
- Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's website to check if your award includes an entitlement to annual leave loading.
- When you take annual leave, check your payslip to ensure the loading has been applied correctly. It should be listed as a separate payment.
- If you are negotiating a salary package that is 'all-inclusive', clarify in writing whether it is intended to cover entitlements like leave loading.
Real-World Examples
A Full-Time Retail Worker
A retail worker takes 4 weeks of annual leave. Their normal weekly pay is $1,000. They receive their $4,000 of normal pay, plus an extra $700 ($4,000 × 17.5%) in leave loading.
A Nurse on a Rotating Roster
A nurse takes annual leave. Their award states they get the higher of 17.5% loading or their shift penalties. Because they were rostered for several weekend shifts during their leave period, their pay is calculated with the higher weekend penalty rates instead of the 17.5% loading.
An Office Worker on a Contract
An office manager on a salary of $90,000 is not covered by an award that includes leave loading. When they take annual leave, they just receive their normal pay without the extra 17.5%.
Glossary of Terms
Modern Award
A legal document that sets out the minimum pay rates and conditions of employment for a specific industry or occupation in Australia.
Enterprise Agreement
A formal agreement on terms and conditions of employment, negotiated between an employer and a group of employees.
Base Rate of Pay
An employee's rate of pay for their ordinary hours of work, not including any loadings, allowances, or penalty rates.