What is Sick Leave?
Sick leave, also known as personal leave, allows eligible employees to take time off work when they are unable to work because of a personal illness or injury. A sick leave certificate may be used as evidence to support this type of leave.
A sick leave certificate usually includes details such as the practitioner's information, the patient's name, the date of assessment, the date the certificate was issued and the period the patient is considered unfit for work.
Sick leave forms part of the National Employment Standards (NES), which set minimum workplace entitlements for employees covered by the Australian Fair Work system. More information on sick leave and carer's leave is available here.
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
For Today's Date
Sick Leave Certificate
Choose this option if you are unable to work due to illness or injury, including mental health issues or stress.
Available for $16.90
Apply NowFor Today's Date
Carer's Leave Certificate
Choose this option if you are unable to attend work because you need to care for a family member or someone in your household.
Available for $16.90
Apply NowHow Do I Apply For A Sick Leave Certificate?
If you need to take sick leave, your employer may ask you to provide evidence showing that you were unable to work because of illness or injury.
You can submit an online sick leave certificate request through Dociva. Your request will be reviewed by the next available Australian-registered medical practitioner.
Submitting an application does not guarantee that a certificate will be issued. 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.
Employer requirements can vary between workplaces, awards, agreements and employment contracts. You should check your employer's policy if you are unsure whether an online medical certificate will be accepted.
Sick Leave Accumulation
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.
Sick and carer's leave is part of the same personal/carer's leave entitlement. Unused paid sick and carer's leave generally carries over from year to year.
Does Unused Sick Leave Expire After One Year?
If you do not use your paid sick and carer's leave, it generally accumulates over time. Accrual starts from the first day of employment and is based on your ordinary hours of work.
Sick and carer's leave may continue to accrue during certain types of paid leave, including:
- Paid annual leave
- Paid sick leave or carer's leave
- Community service leave, such as jury duty
- Long service leave
However, it may not accrue during certain types of unpaid leave, including:
- Unpaid annual leave
- Unpaid sick leave
- Unpaid parental leave
For more information on sick leave entitlements and accrual, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
Long Periods Of Sick Leave
Some employees may need to take a longer period of leave because of illness or injury. In these situations, it is important to understand your workplace obligations, notice requirements and evidence requirements.
Employees should notify their employer as soon as possible and provide evidence if requested. The rules around extended absence, paid leave, unpaid leave and protection from dismissal can depend on the circumstances.
If you expect to be away for an extended period, you should speak with your employer, review your workplace policies and consider getting advice from Fair Work, your union, an employment adviser or another appropriate source.
Why You Should Utilise Your Paid Sick Leave
If you are genuinely unwell or injured and unable to work, using sick leave may help you recover and reduce the risk of worsening your condition.
Using sick leave may also help reduce the spread of infectious illness in the workplace, support better recovery and allow you to return to work when you are fit to do so.
Sick leave should be used honestly and in accordance with your workplace obligations. If your employer requests evidence, you may need to provide a medical certificate or other evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person.
Why Choose Dociva?
| Features | Dociva | Medical Certificate in Clinics |
|---|---|---|
| Are they certified? | ||
| Are they legal? | ||
| Are they valid? | ||
| Accepted by employers, schools, universities? | ||
| Available anytime | ||
| Cost effective | ||
| Reduced wait time | ||
| Reduced exposure to illness |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
An employer can ask for evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that the employee was unable to work because of illness or injury. This may include a medical certificate or other acceptable evidence, depending on the circumstances and workplace requirements.
Sick leave may be used where a personal illness or injury means the employee is unable to work. Whether a medical appointment, procedure or surgery qualifies can depend on the circumstances. Employers may request evidence to support the leave.
Employees should notify their employer as soon as possible when they need to take sick leave. This can happen after the leave has started if that is reasonable in the circumstances. Employees should also advise how long they expect to be away where possible.
A telehealth medical certificate may be used as evidence for sick leave where it has been issued by an appropriate registered practitioner after a clinical assessment. At Dociva, medical certificate requests are reviewed by Australian-registered medical practitioners and are only issued where clinically appropriate. Employers may have their own evidence requirements under workplace policies, awards, agreements or employment contracts, so please check with your employer if you are unsure. Please refer to our legal page to learn more.
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.
Employers can have evidence requirements under workplace policies, awards, registered agreements or employment contracts. A medical certificate may be accepted as evidence, but Dociva cannot guarantee that any employer or organisation will accept a certificate in every situation. Please check your employer's requirements before applying if you are unsure.
You can submit a sick leave certificate request through Dociva by choosing the certificate type, providing your details, answering the required health questions and completing payment. Your application will then be reviewed by the next available Australian-registered medical practitioner. If approved, your certificate will be sent by email.
No. Dociva does not provide backdated sick leave certificates. A certificate can only be considered from the date of the clinical assessment and cannot be issued for a date before the assessment took place.
Yes, a certificate may be requested for more than one day where clinically appropriate. Multi-day requests and any other Dociva service may require phone or video contact if the doctor considers it necessary before making a decision.
Dociva takes privacy and security seriously and takes reasonable steps to protect personal and health information. Your information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and may be used for clinical review, service delivery, payment processing, support, audit and compliance purposes.
Professional standards help ensure medical certificates are issued honestly, accurately and only where clinically appropriate. This protects patients, employers and practitioners, and supports trust in the certificate process.
Intended For Use Across Australia
Dociva medical certificates are issued by Australian-registered medical practitioners and are intended for use across Australia. However, employers, schools, universities and other organisations may have their own evidence requirements, so acceptance can vary depending on the organisation and circumstances.
