Annual leave on a 38-hour week.
A full-time employee on the standard 38-hour week accrues 4 weeks (152 hours) of paid annual leave a year, about 2.923 hours for every week worked. The calculator is set to 38 hours; change the rate and dates to match your own job.
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| Component | Formula | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Accrual rate (FULL-TIME) | 4 wks × 38h ÷ 52 | 2.923 hrs/wk |
| Hours accrued | 2.923 × 52 wks | 152.42 hrs |
| Hourly base rate | - | $35.00 |
| Base leave value | 152.42 × $35.00 | $5,334.62 |
| 17.5% leave loading | base × 0.175 | + $933.56 |
| Total payout | - | $6,268.17 |
Disclaimer: This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. Results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation or your circumstances. This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. We do not recommend taking actions based solely on these results. The calculator makes assumptions and results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation, modern awards, or your personal circumstances. You use this information at your own risk. We can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. For official guidance, visit Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au). Fair Work Ombudsman.
How annual leave works on a 38-hour week
Under section 87 of the Fair Work Act 2009, every full-time and part-time employee gets 4 weeks of paid annual leave for each year of service. The Act expresses leave in weeks, not hours, so the hours you accrue depend on your ordinary hours. For the standard full-time week of 38 hours (set by section 20), one week of leave is worth 38 hours of pay, and a full year builds up to 4 × 38 = 152 hours.
Leave accrues progressively as you work, not in one lump at your anniversary. On a 38-hour week the rate is 152 ÷ 52 = 2.923 hours a week, so you can see the balance grow each pay cycle. On a standard 7.6-hour day (38 hours over 5 days), 152 hours is exactly 20 working days.
Annual leave accrued on a 38-hour week
How much paid annual leave a full-time, 38-hour-a-week employee has built up after a given period of service. Hours are the figure tracked under the NES; days assume a standard 7.6-hour day.
| Time worked | Hours accrued | Days (7.6h) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | 2.92 | 0.38 |
| 1 month | 12.67 | 1.67 |
| 6 months | 76.00 | 10.00 |
| 1 year | 152.00 | 20.00 |
| 2 years | 304.00 | 40.00 |
| 5 years | 760.00 | 100.00 |
Worked example
Mia works full-time, 38 hours a week, on $35.00 an hour. After her first full year she has accrued 152 hours of annual leave (2.923 hours a week × 52 weeks). At her base rate that is $5,320, and with the 17.5% leave loading most awards add, the value of taking that leave is $6,251. Use the Loading and Payout options in the calculator above to see loading and termination figures for your own rate.
Other hours, other leave types
Not on a 38-hour week? The annual leave calculatoraccepts any hours per week and pro-rates the 4-week entitlement for you. For paid sick and carer's leave on the same 38-hour week, see the sick leave calculator for a 38-hour week.
Annual leave on a 38-hour week.
The most-asked questions about full-time annual leave accrual.