Set Up Leave for Employees
MyAccountant tracks leave accruals and balances for each employee. This guide explains how to configure leave types and set opening balances.
Navigate to Leave Settings
- Go to Payroll > Employees and click on the employee's name.
- Select the Leave tab in their profile.
Default Leave Types
MyAccountant includes the standard leave types required under Australian workplace law:
| Leave Type | Standard Accrual | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Leave | 4 weeks per year | Based on ordinary hours worked |
| Personal/Carer's Leave | 2 weeks per year (10 days) | Based on ordinary hours worked |
| Long Service Leave | Varies by state/territory | Typically after 7-10 years of service |
Casual employees generally do not accrue annual or personal leave. Their leave settings can be left at zero.
Set Opening Balances
If you are migrating from another payroll system, you will need to enter the employee's existing leave balances:
- In the Leave tab, find the leave type you want to update.
- Enter the Opening Balance in hours.
- Click Save.
Opening balances are the accrued but untaken leave as at the date you start processing payroll in MyAccountant.
Converting days to hours
If your previous system recorded leave in days, multiply by the employee's standard daily hours. For example:
- 15 days accrued annual leave x 7.6 hours per day = 114 hours
Configure Accrual Rates
Leave accrues automatically based on the employee's ordinary hours each pay run. The default accrual rates follow the National Employment Standards (NES):
- Annual Leave: accrues at a rate of 4 weeks per year for full-time and part-time employees
- Personal/Carer's Leave: accrues at a rate of 2 weeks (10 days) per year
If an employee's award or agreement specifies a different accrual rate (for example, 5 weeks of annual leave for shift workers), you can adjust the rate in their leave settings.
Add Custom Leave Types
If you need leave types beyond the defaults (for example, rostered days off or time off in lieu):
- Go to Payroll > Pay Items > Leave.
- Click Add Leave Type.
- Enter the name, accrual method and rate.
- Save, then assign it to the relevant employees.
Important Notes
- Leave accrues each time a pay run is processed. If an employee is excluded from a pay run, no leave will accrue for that period.
- Leave balances are displayed on employee payslips.
- Negative leave balances are allowed if you permit employees to take leave in advance — the balance will show as a negative figure.
- When an employee is terminated, any accrued but untaken annual leave and long service leave must be paid out in the final pay.