What it does to four different businesses
The same rule, four shapes. If one number were the answer there would be no need for any of this.
| Business | A year | Worked out from |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitality, 24 staffcasual-heavy — where the leave rules bite | −$1,816 to $21,735 | 4.5 points on $483,000 of casual and additional wages is $21,735. Against that, the single-rate rule and hours-based sick leave give back an estimated $17,445. |
| Trades, 18 staff and a fleetovertime and vans | −$15,433 to $13,122 | 4.5 points on $291,600 of casual and additional wages is $13,122. Against that, the single-rate rule and hours-based sick leave give back an estimated $21,152. |
| Aged care, 60 stafflong shifts — some of it comes back | −$113,893 to $33,660 | 4.5 points on $748,000 of casual and additional wages is $33,660. Against that, the single-rate rule and hours-based sick leave give back an estimated $109,299. |
| Professional services, 15salaried — most of this misses you | −$2,464 to $2,430 | 4.5 points on $54,000 of casual and additional wages is $2,430. Against that, the single-rate rule and hours-based sick leave give back an estimated $3,625. |
What you can do about it
The casual share is the whole line. Hours inside an agreed pattern accrue leave at 7.69%; the same hours outside one are bought out at 12.5%. Work that is genuinely regular is cheaper written into the agreement.
How much to trust this
rate set in legislation. This is law with a commencement date. The date will not move without another Act and the rate is written down. It belongs in a budget.
Source: MBIE — Holidays Act reform · in the register since 27 Aug 2026 · model last revised 28 Aug 2026
Split the estimate into three lines rather than one. The 12.5% on casual hours is certain; the single-rate and hours-based sick-leave credits that run the other way are estimated, so the range is now asymmetric instead of pretending all three are equally solid.
This one has a proper model behind it
The figures above are a screen: they work from nine numbers about a business. LeaveShift models this rule per employee or per vehicle, from your own data, and will disagree with this page — it knows more.
Price it against your business
This rule alongside the other 4, on a dated calendar, from nine numbers.