Personal / sick leave policy template
A free, ready-to-edit personal, sick and carer's leave policy template for Australian workplaces. Set out NES entitlements, when employees can take leave, what evidence you can ask for and how to give notice — so leave is handled fairly and consistently. No signup required.
Personal leave policy
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By downloading, you agree to our template disclaimer
This personal leave policy template reflects the National Employment Standards and general Australian employment law at the time of publication and is provided as a general guide to adapt for your business, industry and any applicable modern award or enterprise agreement. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Why your business needs a personal leave policy
Paid personal/carer’s leave — often called sick leave — is a minimum entitlement under the National Employment Standards (NES). Full-time and part-time employees accrue 10 days a year (pro-rata for part-timers), and can use it when they’re genuinely unfit for work through illness or injury, or to care for an immediate family or household member who is ill, injured or affected by an unexpected emergency.
A clear policy tells employees how to give notice, what evidence you may ask for and what happens when their paid balance runs out. It also gives managers a fair, consistent way to approve leave and address concerning absence patterns without crossing the line into unfair treatment or a Fair Work complaint.
The policy applies to all permanent staff, with casuals entitled to unpaid carer’s leave. Store it and capture acknowledgements in your HR software so you can show every worker has read and understood how leave works.
What a personal leave policy should cover
The essentials of a fair, NES-aligned leave framework
NES entitlements
10 days paid personal/carer's leave a year, accruing progressively (pro-rata for part-time).
Sick leave
How employees access paid leave when they're unfit for work through illness or injury.
Carer's leave
Leave to care for an ill, injured or affected immediate family or household member.
Evidence requirements
When a medical certificate or statutory declaration can reasonably be requested.
Notification
How and when employees must tell you they'll be away, including the reason and likely length.
Managing patterns
A fair approach to reviewing concerning patterns of absence.
What's included in this template
A complete framework covering personal, sick and carer's leave
Purpose & scope
Why the policy exists and which employees it applies to.
Policy statement
Your commitment to supporting employee health and wellbeing.
Entitlements under the NES
Accrual rates, eligibility and the leave categories covered.
Personal illness or injury
Using paid leave for an employee's own medical condition, including mental health.
Carer's leave
Using leave to care for immediate family or household members.
Notification requirements
How and when to notify the employer of an absence.
Evidence requirements
Medical certificates, statutory declarations and reasonable evidence.
Unpaid carer's leave
Provisions for casuals and when paid leave is exhausted.
Managing absence patterns
How patterns of absence may be reviewed fairly.
Review & acknowledgement
Policy maintenance and employee sign-off.
Personal leave under the National Employment Standards
Get the entitlements and the rules right
10 days, accruing progressively
Full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave each year, accruing progressively at 1/26 of their ordinary hours worked. Part-time employees accrue pro-rata. Unused leave rolls over from year to year and — unlike annual leave — is not paid out on termination. See how it builds up in our guide to leave accrual.
Casuals get unpaid carer's leave
Casual employees don’t accrue paid personal leave, but they are entitled to 2 days of unpaid carer’s leave per occasion to care for an immediate family or household member. Permanent employees can also take unpaid carer’s leave once their paid balance is used up.
Evidence and notification
Give notice
Notify as soon as practicable, with the reason and expected length of absence.
Reasonable evidence
A medical certificate or statutory declaration that would satisfy a reasonable person.
Privacy
Employees needn't disclose the exact illness — only that they're genuinely unfit for work.
Consistent approval
Apply the same evidence and approval rules to everyone.
Evidence should be proportionate to the absence — a single day rarely needs a certificate, while longer or recurring absences reasonably do. Set out your evidence threshold clearly so it’s applied consistently. Our guide on managing sick leave requests walks through a fair process.
Personal leave covers both physical and mental illness, and Fair Work treats them the same way. For longer absences, plan a supported return to work rather than pressing for an early start. Pair this policy with a leave application form so requests are captured consistently, and use leave management software to track balances against the roster automatically.
Who should use this template?
Every Australian employer with permanent staff
Especially useful for shift-based teams, where a single absence can affect a whole roster.
Compliance resources
Official guidance on sick and carer's leave entitlements.
Manage leave the easy way
RosterElf tracks personal leave balances, handles requests and integrates with your roster — so absences never blindside your schedule. Store policies and capture acknowledgements in one place.
Related guides
Handle leave requests fairly and consistently
Related templates
Build a complete leave management system
Personal leave policy FAQ
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Under the National Employment Standards, full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave per year, covering both sick leave and carer’s leave. It accrues progressively at 1/26 of ordinary hours worked and rolls over each year. Part-time employees accrue pro-rata, and casuals are entitled to 2 days of unpaid carer’s leave per occasion.
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Personal leave can be used when an employee is genuinely unfit for work because of their own illness or injury (including mental health), or to provide care or support to an immediate family or household member who is ill, injured or affected by an unexpected emergency. Employees don’t need to disclose the specific nature of their illness — only that they’re unfit for work.
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No. Unlike annual leave, accrued but unused personal/carer’s leave is not paid out on termination under the NES — though a modern award or enterprise agreement may provide otherwise. Always check the relevant instrument before finalising an employee’s final pay.
Before you download
General information only — not legal advice
This document is a general HR template provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the latest changes in legislation or apply to every workplace situation. RosterElf Pty Ltd and the template provider accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this document. Users should seek independent legal advice and customise the template to ensure it complies with all relevant laws, awards and workplace requirements.