Under the National Employment Standards, full-time employees in Australia get 10 days of paid sick and carer's leave a year, and part-time employees get a pro rata amount. It builds up from the first day of work, unused days carry over, and casual employees don't get paid sick leave.
Sick leave and carer's leave are one shared balance, often called personal/carer's leave. This guide covers how much you get, how it accrues, what you're paid, and the notice and evidence rules, all from the Fair Work Ombudsman's pages as they read in October 2026.
How much sick leave you get
The yearly entitlement is based on ordinary hours, not days. The Fair Work Ombudsman puts it as 1/26 of an employee's ordinary hours of work in a year. Its own worked examples show how that plays out:
| Employee | Ordinary hours | Paid sick and carer's leave a year |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time, 5 days a week | 38 hours a week | 76 hours (10 days) |
| Part-time, 5-day fortnight | Average 19 hours a week | 38 hours (half the full-time amount) |
| Full-time, 4 days a week | 38 hours a week | 76 hours, the same as a 5-day worker |
| Casual | Varies | No paid leave; 2 days unpaid carer's leave per occasion |
That third row is the insight most people miss. Because the entitlement follows hours, someone working 38 hours over four longer days builds exactly the same 76 hours as someone working five days. A day of sick leave for the four-day worker simply uses more of the balance.
How it builds up and carries over
- It starts accumulating from the first day of work and builds gradually through each year.
- The balance at the end of each year carries over to the next. There's no use-it-or-lose-it rule.
- It keeps accruing while you're on paid leave, including annual leave and sick leave, on community service leave such as jury duty, and on long service leave.
- It doesn't accrue during unpaid leave, such as unpaid parental leave, unpaid sick or carer's leave, or unpaid family and domestic violence leave.
- There's no minimum or maximum you can take at a time, up to what you've accumulated.
An award, registered agreement or contract can give more than this, but never less than the National Employment Standards.
What you're paid
Sick leave is paid at the employee's base pay rate for the hours they would normally have worked during the leave. Overtime isn't included, even regular overtime. The Fair Work Ombudsman's example is a worker who normally does 9am to 5pm and has been staying until 7pm on Wednesdays for six months: a Wednesday sick day is paid for 9am to 5pm only. Separate entitlements such as allowances and loadings aren't part of the base rate either.
Notice and evidence
- Tell your employer as soon as possible. It can be after the leave has started.
- Say how long you expect to be off.
- Provide evidence if asked. An employer can ask for it even for 1 day or less off work.
- Make sure the evidence is reasonable in the circumstances. An award or registered agreement can set out when it's needed and what type.
Evidence doesn't always mean a doctor's certificate. In the Fair Work Ombudsman's example, a retail worker whose employer wanted a medical certificate for Monday absences couldn't get a doctor's appointment, gave a statutory declaration instead, and was paid for the day. The catch: an employee who doesn't provide evidence when asked may not be paid for the leave.
Carer's leave from the same balance
You can use the same paid balance to care for or support a member of your immediate family or household who's sick, injured or affected by an unexpected emergency. Once the paid balance runs out, full-time and part-time employees can take unpaid carer's leave, and casual employees are entitled to 2 days of unpaid carer's leave per occasion.
Longer illnesses and your job
Employees who can show evidence of illness or injury are protected from dismissal because of their absence if they're away for less than 3 consecutive months, or less than 3 months in total over the last 12 months. Someone on paid sick leave the whole time can't be dismissed because of the absence, however long it lasts. That protection ends only when the absence passes 3 months and all paid sick leave has been used, and even then unfair dismissal and workers' compensation rules can still apply.
For the full list of minimum entitlements, see my guide to the National Employment Standards, and for leave around a new baby, my paid parental leave guide.
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Medical appointments and planned surgery
Sick leave isn't automatically available for every appointment. The Fair Work Ombudsman says pre-arranged medical appointments and elective surgery can only be covered by sick leave if the employee isn't able to work because of a personal illness or injury, and it depends on the circumstances. An employer can ask for evidence that the employee was unfit for work, which helps decide whether to pay sick leave or another type of leave.
My verdict
If you employ people, track sick leave in hours, not days, or part-time and compressed-week staff will be shortchanged or overpaid. If you're an employee, keep an eye on your balance, because it carries over every year and it's there for caring for family too. And don't panic about a certificate for one day: a statutory declaration is often accepted.
Frequently asked questions
How many sick days do you get in Australia?
Full-time employees get 10 days of paid sick and carer's leave a year under the National Employment Standards. Part-time employees get a pro rata amount based on their ordinary hours.
Does sick leave carry over in Australia?
Yes. Unused sick and carer's leave carries over to the next year and keeps building for as long as you work for that employer.
Do casuals get sick leave in Australia?
No, casual employees don't get paid sick leave. They can take 2 days of unpaid carer's leave per occasion.
Can I use sick leave for a doctor's appointment?
Only if you can't work because of a personal illness or injury. Pre-arranged appointments and elective surgery depend on the circumstances, and your employer can ask for evidence.
Can my employer ask for a medical certificate for one day?
Yes. An employer can ask for evidence for as little as 1 day or less off work, and the evidence must be reasonable. A statutory declaration can be accepted.
