Frequently asked questions
About the Scheme
What is QLeave?
QLeave provides long service leave to workers in Queensland’s building and construction industry. Our scheme rewards you for your service to the industry by making sure you receive long service leave benefits, even if you change employers or work interstate.
Who is supposed to add service, me or my employer?
Your employer is required to add service to your QLeave record. We'll send you an annual long service leave statement. Please check this carefully to make sure we have a record of all the work you’ve performed.
My employer hasn’t recorded my service – what do I do?
If you notice service is missing from your annual long service leave statement, please contact your employer/s and ask them to supply us with the amended details. If you’re unable to contact the employer/s or they refuse to add service for you, you can lodge a complaint with QLeave. Find out more.
My QLeave registration has been cancelled because my employer didn’t submit service. How do I have my registration reinstated?
You can click here to join QLeave online, or contact us if you would prefer to complete a paper registration form.
We only cancel your registration if your employer doesn't record any service in Queensland for four consecutive years. Even then, we'll notify you in writing of our intention to cancel your registration. You'll be given the chance to respond and let us know if you're still working in the industry before your registration is closed. If we don't hear from you, you'll receive another letter from us advising your registration has been cancelled and you will then have 45 days to submit an internal review request. Once your registration is revoked, you'll lose all your service days and start again at zero.
Therefore, it's essential that you check your annual long service leave statement carefully, and that you keep your contact details up-to-date. If you notice missing service when checking your next statement, please speak to your employer and ask them to update your service. Find out more.
I’m a company director, am I eligible to join QLeave?
Company directors who perform building and construction work may be eligible to join. You can click here to join online.
About interstate work
What happens if I move interstate to work?
If you move interstate to work, you need to contact the other state or territory's portable long service leave authority directly to register your service. Once you've registered, advise us of any service recorded with another scheme by emailing us a copy of your interstate long service leave statement. We'll then update your QLeave registration with your interstate registration details and the date of your most recent service.
Can I roll my interstate service into my QLeave registration?
No, your interstate service can't be rolled into your QLeave registration. However, all building and construction industry portable long service leave schemes in Australia have entered into a national reciprocal agreement, meaning service you record interstate may be recognised and included when calculating your eligibility to make a long service leave claim.
Make sure you keep your contact details up-to-date with each scheme and follow the guidelines to keep your registration active.
I’ve been working interstate, why did you cancel my registration?
You need to advise QLeave of service with an interstate scheme. If we don't hear from you, and you haven't recorded any service in Queensland for four consecutive years, we'll try to contact you to let you know we intend to cancel your registration. If we still don't hear from you, we'll cancel your QLeave registration.
About your claim
How do I claim my long service leave?
It's easy to claim your long service leave online. Watch this step-by-step video to guide you through the process.
If you would prefer to complete the hardcopy form, you can contact us to have it sent to you.
When can I make a claim?
You can claim once you've recorded 2,200 service credits (equivalent to 10 years of service). You may also be able to claim if you're permanently leaving the building and construction industry, you've recorded at least 1,155 service credits and you've been in the industry for seven years. Find out more about claiming long service leave.
What are service credits?
One service credit equals one day worked. You can accrue a maximum of 220 days (service credits) per financial year. Each credit goes towards your QLeave record and determines your entitlement for portable long service leave.
How much will I be paid when I take long service leave?
A capped weekly rate of pay for all claims was introduced on 1 January 2009 to ensure the future of the portable long service leave scheme.
The cap rate is reviewed before 1 July each year. At this time, the Minister fixes the cap for the following financial year.
Find out the current capped rate.
What information do you need for my claim?
You need the following information to make an online claim.
- your QLeave registration number
- your name, date of birth and current postal address
- the type of claim you wish to make (taking leave, leaving the industry or personal representative)
- the type of work you currently perform
- the name of your current/last employer
- your tax file number and bank account details
- your ABN (if you're a labour-only subcontractor)
- proof of rate of pay from the employer who last recorded service for you
- your service updated and your reason for leaving the industry (if you're making a leaving the industry claim)
Please note, if information or required documentation is missing from your claim we will not be able to progress it and you'll need to submit a new one.
How will my claim be paid?
We pay claims as a lump sum by electronic funds transfer. A minimum of five days' leave applies per claim unless it's your final claim.
How much tax will I pay?
The tax payable on your claim depends on the type of claim you've made and your gross weekly wages. For taking leave and standard leaving the industry claims, we use your gross weekly wage to calculate the amount withheld from the ATO's weekly tax table. If you've selected genuine redundancy, invalidity or early retirement as your reason for leaving the industry, your payment will be taxed at the applicable withholding rate of 32% as required by Australian tax laws. Find out more.
Will I accrue leave while I'm on long service leave?
You won't continue to accrue leave while you're on long service leave. This is in line with s52(5) of the Building and Construction Industry (Portable Long Service Leave) Act 1991.
