Long Service Leave in Australia: Rationale, Application and Policy Issues

Long service leave (LSL) has existed as statutory public service entitlement in Australia since the 1860s. Since that time LSL has been extended into the private sector and across most industry groups. More recently LSL has been reviewed by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (2000). Central to the evaluation and discussion of LSL are a number of issues. First is the question whether LSL remains relevant given apparent employment instability and career turbulence. Second is the question whether the conditions of LSL should reflect changes in workforce structure. Third is the question whether flexibilities can and should be introduced into LSL conditions and entitlements. This article presents an overview of the issues associated with LSL in Australia and briefly reviews the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission Inquiry into LSL.