Understanding carer's leave
Carer's leave is part of the personal leave entitlement under Australia's National Employment Standards. It allows employees to take time off to care for family members without losing income.
Paid carer's leave
- Part of 10-day personal leave
- For permanent employees
- Paid at base rate
- Accumulates year to year
Unpaid carer's leave
- 2 days per occasion
- Available to all employees
- When paid leave exhausted
- For casuals from day one
Who can be cared for
Carer's leave can be used to care for immediate family or household members:
Eligible family members
When carer's leave can be used
- Illness: When a family member is sick and needs care
- Injury: To care for someone recovering from an injury
- Emergency: Unexpected situations requiring immediate attention
- Medical appointments: To accompany family to medical visits
Unexpected emergency
The "unexpected emergency" provision covers situations like childcare falling through, a family member being hospitalised, or needing to collect a sick child from school. It doesn't cover planned events or regular caring responsibilities.
Evidence requirements
What employers can request
- Medical certificate for person cared for
- Statutory declaration
- Evidence of relationship
- Documentation of emergency
Employee obligations
- Notify employer promptly
- State reason (caring responsibility)
- Estimate duration
- Provide evidence if requested
Common carer's leave mistakes
Not recognising household members
Carer's leave applies to household members, not just blood relatives. This includes housemates and anyone living with the employee.
Refusing emergency leave
The "unexpected emergency" provision is a legitimate reason for carer's leave and cannot be unreasonably refused.
Forgetting unpaid carer's leave
Even when paid leave is exhausted, employees have an entitlement to 2 days unpaid carer's leave per occasion.
Key takeaways
Carer's leave allows employees to balance work with family caring responsibilities. It's a fundamental NES entitlement that employers must respect and manage appropriately.
RosterElf's leave management helps you track carer's leave requests, maintain accurate records, and support compliance with NES requirements.
