What is Carer's Leave?

Carer's leave is an important workplace entitlement for employees who need time away from work to care for or support an immediate family member or household member who is ill, injured, or affected by an unexpected emergency.

At Dociva, eligible patients can request a carer's leave certificate online. Each request is reviewed by an Australian-registered medical practitioner and a certificate is only issued where the doctor considers it clinically appropriate.

Submitting an application does not guarantee that a certificate will be issued. The reviewing doctor may approve the request, decline the request, ask for more information, require phone or video contact, or recommend another care pathway where appropriate.

If you have chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, signs of a stroke, heavy bleeding, collapse, seizure, sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, thoughts of self-harm, or any symptom that feels serious or life-threatening, call 000 immediately or attend the nearest emergency department.

Medical Certificates

Carer's leave allows eligible employees to take time off work to care for or support an immediate family member or household member who is affected by illness, injury, or an unexpected emergency.

Carer's leave is part of personal/carer's leave under the National Employment Standards (NES), which set minimum workplace entitlements for employees covered by the Australian Fair Work system. These standards are set out under the Fair Work Act 2009.

Carer's leave is different from sick leave. Sick leave generally applies when you are unable to work because of your own illness or injury. Carer's leave applies when you need to care for or support someone else who is an immediate family member or household member.

How do I apply for a Carer's Leave Certificate?

If you need to take carer's leave, your employer may ask you to provide evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that the leave was taken for a genuine carer's leave reason.

You can submit an online carer's leave certificate request through Dociva. Your request will be reviewed by the next available Australian-registered medical practitioner.

A certificate is only issued if the reviewing doctor considers it clinically appropriate after assessing the information provided and completing any further assessment they require.

For any Dociva service, the doctor may require phone or video contact before making a decision if they consider it clinically necessary. If your request cannot be safely assessed online, it may be declined and you may be advised to seek in-person care.

Your industry, award, enterprise agreement, employment contract or workplace policy may have specific requirements about evidence and when it must be provided. You should check your employer's requirements if you are unsure whether an online certificate will be accepted.

Carer's Leave accumulation

Sick and carer's leave are part of the same personal/carer's leave entitlement. Under the National Employment Standards, full-time employees are generally entitled to 10 days of paid sick and carer's leave each year.

Part-time employees receive a pro-rata entitlement based on their ordinary hours of work.

Paid sick and carer's leave accumulates progressively during the year based on ordinary hours worked.

Can Carer's Leave balance be cleared if it's not used within a year?

Unused paid sick and carer's leave generally carries over from year to year.

This means that if you do not use your full paid personal/carer's leave entitlement in one year, the unused amount generally remains available in future years while you continue employment.

When can Carer's Leave be taken?

An employee can use paid carer's leave to care for or support a member of their immediate family or household who is affected by a personal illness, injury, or unexpected emergency.

Immediate family or household members can include:

• Spouse or former spouse
• De facto partner or former de facto partner
• Child
• Parent
• Step-relations, such as step-children and step-parents
• Adoptive relations
• Grandparent
• Grandchild
• Sibling
• Child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the employee's spouse or de facto partner, including former spouse or former de facto partner
• A person who lives with the employee as a household member

How much leave can an employee take?

An employee can generally use the amount of paid carer's leave they have accrued, subject to workplace notice and evidence requirements.

Employers can ask for evidence for carer's leave, including for short absences. Employees should notify their employer as soon as possible and advise how long they expect to be away where practical.

Does Carer's Leave get paid out when you resign?

Unused paid sick and carer's leave is generally not paid out when employment ends, unless an award, enterprise agreement, employment contract or workplace policy provides otherwise.

If you are resigning or working through a notice period, your rights and obligations may depend on your employment arrangement and the circumstances. You should check your workplace policy or seek workplace advice if you are unsure.

Check your Carer's Leave balance

Employers are not always required to show personal/carer's leave balances on payslips.

If you are unsure how much paid sick and carer's leave you have available, you can ask your employer, payroll team or HR team for your current leave balance.

Unpaid Carer's Leave

Employees, including casual employees, may be entitled to take 2 days of unpaid carer's leave for each occasion where an immediate family member or household member needs care or support because of illness, injury, or an unexpected emergency.

Full-time and part-time employees can generally access unpaid carer's leave if they do not have any paid sick or carer's leave left.

Can paid Carer's Leave be cashed out?

Paid sick and carer's leave can only be cashed out in limited circumstances, such as where an award or registered agreement allows it and the required written agreement and minimum leave balance requirements are met.

General conditions may include:

• The award or registered agreement permits cashing out
• There is a separate written agreement each time leave is cashed out
• The employee keeps at least 15 days of untaken paid sick and carer's leave after cashing out
• The employee is paid at least the full amount they would have received if they had taken the leave

Employers must not pressure or coerce employees into cashing out paid sick or carer's leave.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)