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Australian Sick Leave Calculator

Calculate your sick and carer's leave entitlements based on Australian employment standards.

Australian Sick Leave Calculator
Calculate your sick and carer's leave entitlements based on Australian employment standards.

Select your employment type to calculate appropriate sick leave entitlements.

Standard full-time is 38 hours per week. Part-time is any regular hours less than full-time.

The date you began your current employment.

The date to calculate sick leave accrual up to (defaults to today).

Results
Your sick leave calculation results.
Enter your employment details and click calculate to see results.

About Sick Leave in Australia

Under the National Employment Standards (NES), full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid personal/carer's leave per year. Part-time employees receive a pro-rata amount based on their ordinary hours of work.

Sick leave accumulates progressively throughout the year at a rate of 1/26 of an employee's ordinary hours of work and carries over from year to year if unused.

Understanding Sick Leave Entitlements in Australia

Under the National Employment Standards (NES), sick and carer's leave entitlements are consistent nationwide. Full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid personal/carer's leave per year, while part-time employees receive a pro-rata amount based on their ordinary hours of work.

How Sick Leave Accrues

Sick leave accumulates progressively throughout the year at a rate of 1/26 of an employee's ordinary hours of work. This method was confirmed by the High Court in the Mondelez v AMWU case, establishing that sick leave should be calculated based on ordinary hours rather than fixed days.

Calculation Examples

Full-time employee working 38 hours/week:

  • Annual hours: 38 hours/week × 52 weeks/year = 1,976 hours/year
  • Sick leave entitlement: 1,976 hours/year ÷ 26 ≈ 76 hours/year (10 days)

Part-time employee working 19 hours/week:

  • Annual hours: 19 hours/week × 52 weeks/year = 988 hours/year
  • Sick leave entitlement: 988 hours/year ÷ 26 ≈ 38 hours/year (5 days)

Key Information

  • Sick leave carries over from year to year if unused
  • Employers may request reasonable evidence, such as a medical certificate
  • Sick leave cannot be cashed out (except in limited circumstances)
  • Casual employees are entitled to unpaid carer's leave only
  • All employees are entitled to 2 days of compassionate/bereavement leave per occasion
  • Public holidays that fall during sick leave periods don't count as sick leave days