Leases - Maturities of Lease Liabilities (Details) $ in Thousands	Nov. 30, 2020 USD ($)
Leases [Abstract]
2021	$ 65,442
2022	70,200
2023	62,641
2024	61,106
2025	63,158
2026 and thereafter	338,742
Total undiscounted cash flows	661,289
Less: Difference between undiscounted and discounted cash flows	$ (100,402)
Operating lease, liability, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrent
Operating leases amount in our Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition	$ 560,887
Finance leases amount in our Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition	362
Total amount in our Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition	$ 561,249

Operating Lease And Finance Lease, Liability

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	jef_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918701-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121603541&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

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- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payment for operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payment for operating lease due after fifth fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payment for operating lease to be paid in next fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payment for operating lease to be paid in fifth fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

+ References

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payment for operating lease to be paid in fourth fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payment for operating lease to be paid in third fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

+ References

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payment for operating lease to be paid in second fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments in excess of discounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121603541&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Indicates line item in statement of financial position that includes operating lease liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121603541&loc=SL77918631-209977

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