Final Pay Calculator
Work out what you should get when you resign or your job ends: notice, unused annual leave, leave loading, wages owing and the tax that's likely to be taken out.
Estimate only, using 2026–27 tax tables with the tax-free threshold. Your award or agreement may give you more. If your job was made redundant, use the redundancy calculator instead.
Printed from ClearCalc (clearcalc.com.au/final-pay-calculator/). Estimates only, not financial advice.
What's in your final pay?
When you leave a job, your employer must pay everything owed to you. Your final pay usually includes:
- Outstanding wages for days you worked since your last pay, including penalty rates and allowances.
- Unused annual leave, paid at the rate you'd have received if you took the leave, including leave loading if your award, agreement or contract pays it on leave.
- Pay in lieu of notice, if your employer doesn't want you to work out your notice.
- Long service leave, if you qualify under your state's law (see the long service leave calculator), and redundancy pay if your job was made redundant.
Unused personal (sick) leave is not paid out unless your agreement or contract says so.
Minimum notice under the NES
| Continuous service | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| 1 year or less | 1 week |
| More than 1 year, up to 3 years | 2 weeks |
| More than 3 years, up to 5 years | 3 weeks |
| More than 5 years | 4 weeks |
If you're over 45 with at least 2 years' service, add one more week when your employer ends your employment. Pay in lieu of notice must be at your full rate of pay, including incentive-based payments, loadings, allowances and penalty rates you'd have earned. Casual employees, and people dismissed for serious misconduct, aren't entitled to notice.
How final pay is taxed
Outstanding wages are taxed like normal pay. Unused annual leave (built up after 17 August 1993) and leave loading are taxed at your marginal rates. Employers use a special method that spreads the payment across a year, so the amount withheld can look high. Pay in lieu of notice is an employment termination payment (ETP), taxed at 32% if you're under 60 or 17% if you're 60 or over, as long as the total, plus your other taxable income for the year, stays under $180,000. Your tax return sorts out the final amount, so you may get some back.
When must it be paid?
Most awards require final pay within 7 days of your last day, and pay in lieu of notice must be paid on or before the last day. If you haven't been paid, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman. To check your leave balance, use the annual leave calculator. If your role was made redundant, the redundancy calculator includes the tax-free redundancy amount.
Sources: Fair Work – Final pay, Fair Work – Notice of termination and redundancy pay, ATO – Unused annual leave on termination, ATO – ETP caps.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get leave loading on my final pay?
Yes, if you would have been paid leave loading when taking annual leave during your employment. Fair Work says it must be paid out on termination in that case.
How much notice do I need to give when I resign?
The National Employment Standards don't set notice for employees who resign, but most awards and contracts require the same amounts as the NES table, from 1 to 4 weeks depending on service.
Why is so much tax taken from my unused leave?
Unused annual leave is taxed at your marginal rates, and the withholding method treats it as if it were spread across a year of pay. Any overpaid tax comes back when you lodge your tax return.
When should I receive my final pay?
Most awards require it within 7 days of your last day. If no award or agreement applies, the Fair Work Act requires you to be paid at least monthly. Pay in lieu of notice is due on or before your last day.
Official sources used for this calculator include: Fair Work Ombudsman – National Employment Standards, Fair Work Ombudsman – Leave. See how we calculate.
Reviewed by the ClearCalc team. Last reviewed October 2026. This calculator gives an estimate for general information only. Check important figures with the relevant government agency or a licensed professional.