Carer’s leave, also referred to as personal/carer’s leave, is a workplace entitlement in Australia that allows employees to take time off to care for an immediate family or household member who is ill, injured, or experiencing an emergency. This form of leave is part of the broader National Employment Standards (NES) under the Fair Work Act 2009.
This leave ensures employees can attend to family responsibilities without sacrificing their income or employment status.
🔗 Fair Work – Sick & Carer’s Leave
All employees, other than casuals, are entitled to paid carer’s leave. Casual employees are entitled to unpaid carer’s leave.
Eligible relationships include:
Carer’s leave can also apply to step-relations and in-laws.
Under the NES:
Additionally:
Carer’s leave is available when an employee needs to care for or support a family or household member who is:
Leave can be taken for full or part days, depending on the situation and approval from the employer.
Employers can request reasonable evidence to approve carer’s leave. Acceptable forms include:
Employees must also provide notice as soon as practicable, which can be before or after the leave starts.
While both are family-related leave types, they serve different purposes:
Employees are entitled to 2 days of paid compassionate leave per permissible occasion.
Carer’s leave is paid at the employee’s base pay rate for their ordinary hours of work. It should be recorded separately in payroll systems and tracked for accrual and usage.
Explore Microkeeper’s Leave and Payroll Management
Microkeeper helps businesses manage carer’s leave with:
This reduces manual errors, ensures compliance, and improves transparency.
Yes, if a family or household member is mentally unwell and requires care, carer’s leave can apply.
Only if reasonable evidence is not provided or if the situation doesn’t meet eligibility criteria.
Yes. Accrued but unused personal/carer’s leave must be paid out when employment ends.
It can be taken in part-day increments (e.g. a few hours) and should be logged accurately.
Carer’s leave is a fundamental entitlement that supports employees in balancing work and family responsibilities. Employers benefit by promoting a caring and supportive workplace culture. With platforms like Microkeeper, managing and tracking this leave becomes simple, accurate, and fully compliant with the Fair Work framework.
Disclaimer: This article is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific information, refer to Fair Work Australia or consult an employment law professional.
