Annual Leave Loading Calculator
The 17.5% leave loading on Australian annual leave — per week and for the whole leave period, the tax treatment, and what four weeks of leave pays including loading.
How it works
loading = weekly base pay × weeks of leave × 17.5%; total = base leave pay + loading
Annual leave loading — usually 17.5% — is a relic of the 1970s meant to compensate workers for overtime and penalty rates they would miss while on holiday. It is written into most awards and many enterprise agreements, paid on top of ordinary pay for each week of annual leave, and must also be paid out on unused leave at termination. Since a 2019 ATO ruling it generally attracts superannuation too. Employees on salary-only contracts above the award may not receive it.
Worked example
$80,000 a year is $1,538 a week; four weeks’ leave pays $6,154 plus $1,077 loading = $7,231.
Frequently asked questions
Is loading paid on personal leave?
No — only annual leave, and usually not on leave taken as cash-out unless the award says so.
Do casuals get it?
No — casual loading (25%) replaces leave entitlements altogether.
Related calculators
Uses 2025–26 Australian rates and thresholds (residents). Figures change each July — confirm with the ATO, your state revenue office or a registered tax agent. Educational estimate, not tax advice.