# Ten years at my job today, so now I get three months' long service leave **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 21, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423 "2008-01-21T22:04:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/21 "2008-01-22T16:15:17Z")
Congratulations, **Cunctator**!!! That is very cool! I will have ten years at my job on February 2 (although I did work here for a year as a contractor so TECHNICALLY I’ve been coming here day after freakin’ day for ELEVEN years but that’s neither here nor there) and should be receiving my catalog to pick out my present from shortly. A friend of mine who received his ten year gift selection catalog two years ago has already gone through the thing and googled all the merchandise so he can tell me what the most expensive thing is so I can pick that. So I’ve got that going for me anyway. Anyway, enjoy your upcoming vacations!! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/22 "2008-01-22T16:20:11Z")
I used to work for ROLM Corp. which had a sabbatical after 6 years. You could take 3 months at straight pay or 6 weeks with double pay. I took the latter. The beauty was that you were eligible again after another 6 years. I had a couple friends who got two before the company got sucked into IBM and Siemens. It was awesome listening to some of the fabulous trips people took. One girl and her husband took a hot air balloon ride over the champagne vinyards. Another guy did Australia and New Zealand. I stayed home with a broken hand. Got the break 2 days after my sabbatical started and got the cast off 2 days before I went back to work. Sucked to be me. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/23 "2008-01-22T16:34:29Z")
Aw. You lucky duck. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/24 "2008-01-22T17:11:26Z")
So what are you thinking of doing with your 3-month vacation? What exciting trips are you planning? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/25 "2008-01-22T17:30:14Z")
[QUOTE=LurkMeister] Gee, after working fifteen years with the federal government they increased the amount of paid leave I get per year to 26 days. [/QUOTE] Add in the mandatory federal holidays and that adds up to 36 workings days every year, or basically two months off every year. Then there is that 13 days of sick leave that accumulates forever until you retire, unless you use some of it, and any unused sick leaves goes toward retirement earnings as well. I wouldn’t complain. In Oz, didn’t it used to be long service leave after seven years? And you could bank it? When I lived there, I knew folks who banked two sets of LSL, banked their regular leave just so they could take a full year off – with pay – to travel the world. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/26 "2008-01-22T22:04:48Z")
[QUOTE=Scribble] So what are you thinking of doing with your 3-month vacation? What exciting trips are you planning? [/QUOTE] Not sure yet. I’ve got two weeks’ (normal) leave coming up in February, during which I’m going to New Zealand. So that should suffice for the moment. But a month’s break or so later in the year would be nice. Destinations? Possibly South America, Canada, or Japan/Korea. > [@Duckster](#): > > In Oz, didn’t it used to be long service leave after seven years? It depends on the circumstances (individual contract; state or Commonwealth award). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/27 "2008-01-22T23:15:54Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] I got a gold tie pin. [/QUOTE] I got a nickel. (10 years pay. :mad: 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/28 "2008-01-23T00:01:25Z")
Pretty cool! Enjoy your time off. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/29 "2008-01-23T00:10:07Z")
I took almost the whole of December off in 2007 and going back to work was a bear. I can’t even imagine taking off months and months then trying to go back to the same job. Routine keeps things bearable! Still, congratulations and use your leave in brilliant ways! ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/30 "2008-01-23T00:55:33Z")
You Aussies should immigrate here to America and convince our officials to honor your fabulous custom. Please? My mother had a sabbatical. She pronounced it sabbatico. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/31 "2008-01-23T09:55:52Z")
[QUOTE=Bites When Provoked] the Wiki entry says it’s 8 & 2/3 weeks, but my husband has 13 weeks with his employer) of Long Service Leave every 10 years. [/QUOTE] In the government service it’s (typically) 13 weeks per 10 years. In the private sector it’s (typically) 13 weeks per 15 years which is 4 and 1/3 accumulated every 5 years, pro-rated after 5 years if you leave. I work my first job for 11 years, was retrenched, paid out 13 weeks. I work my second job for 11 years, was retrenched, paid out 13 weeks. I’m now in the private sector and only 3 years in, so I’ve got another 12 to go before I can actually take LSL. A lot of places will also let you take LSL at half pay, so that would be a holiday of 6 months, plus any accumulated annual leave, plus nowadays some companies will let you buy up to an additional 4 weeks leave. So I could take 6 months, plus 4 weeks, plus 4 weeks bought leave for a total leave of 8 months. Woohoo! ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/32 "2008-01-23T11:42:28Z")
Congratulations **Cunctator**! Long service leave varies by state. According to my employer (who only gives you the minimum entitlement they have to based on where you’re employed), its: NSW, Vic, Qld, WA & Tas: Intial Qualifying period: 10 years Intial Leave period: 8.66 weeks Pro-rata: 5 years (if you leave or are terminated after 5 years you get it paid out in cash) Subsequent qualifying period: 5 years Subsequent leave period: 4.33 weeks ACT: Intial Qualifying period: 7 years Intial Leave Period: 6.06 weeks Pro-rata: 5 years Subsequent qualifying period: 5 years Subequent leave periot: 4.33 weeks NT: Intial Qualifying period: 10 years Intial Leave Period: 13 weeks Pro-rata: 7 years Subsequent qualifying period: 5 years Subequent leave periot: 6.5 weeks SA: Intial Qualifying period: 10 years Intial Leave Period: 13 weeks Pro-rata: 7 years Subsequent qualifying period: 1 year Subequent leave periot: 1.3 weeks I think I’m moving to Adelaide :). I bring up my 7 years in 2 weeks, so 3 years, 2 weeks to go! (Given I’m currently sitting on 9 weeks accrued annual leave, with no plans to take any, if I hoard it all, I could disappear for 7 months fully paid in 2011!) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/33 "2008-01-23T12:33:21Z")
[QUOTE=robinc308] Congratulations **Cunctator**! Long service leave varies by state. According to my employer (who only gives you the minimum entitlement they have to based on where you’re employed)… [/QUOTE] You may want to look into that. Our company pays the SA long service leave because they’re an SA company, none of the foot soldiers actually live in SA (just middle and upper management types.) ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/34 "2008-01-23T13:52:09Z")
[QUOTE=1920s Style “Death Ray”] You may want to look into that. Our company pays the SA long service leave because they’re an SA company, none of the foot soldiers actually live in SA (just middle and upper management types.) [/QUOTE] I work for an American company, and they don’t choose to be generous, they pay the minimum they have to, no more. You get LSL entitlement based on where you reside. So I suppose I could reside in SA and commute to Melbourne 🙂 I haven’t read the relevent acts of parliament (although my employer helpfully provides the relevant links, so I can only assume they have it right). ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423/35 "2008-01-23T15:09:14Z")
[QUOTE=robinc308] I haven’t read the relevent acts of parliament (although my employer helpfully provides the relevant links, so I can only assume they have it right). [/QUOTE] Yes they probably have it right. If you questioned it they may look deeper into it and find that they don’t have to pay any LSL at all! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-years-at-my-job-today-so-now-i-get-three-months-long-service-leave/434423.md?page=1)