If an extended period of unpaid leave covers an entire quarter, employers cannot report wages or service for that quarter. As a result, the worker will not accrue portable long service leave while they’re away without pay.

If the period of unpaid leave covers part of a quarter, and the worker has at least 5 service days in that quarter, the employer must report the reduced wages for that period. The worker will still accrue portable long service leave (90+ service days) for that period.

Examples:

• A worker takes two months of unpaid leave (April and May) during the April–June quarter. Their employer must report the wages earned for the month worked in that quarter (June). As they worked more than the minimum five service days required for the quarter, the worker will receive the full 90+ service days towards their entitlement.
• A worker takes unpaid leave for April, May and most of June, returning to work only on the last working day of the month. As they did not work the minimum 5 service days for the quarter, the employer would not include them in the quarterly return, and the worker would not accrue any service days for the April-June period.

If a worker is unsure how a specific type of leave affects their record, they can check their service history in the client portal or contact ACT Leave for assistance.