Australian Sick Leave Calculator

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

Let's be honest – nobody plans to get sick. But when you wake up feeling like you've been hit by a bus and your boss is already texting about that medical certificate, suddenly you need to know: "How much sick leave do I actually have?"

HR's phone goes straight to voicemail. Your boss doesn't know either (but definitely wants that certificate by COB). Your last payslip is somewhere in your email from 3 months ago. Sound familiar?

That's exactly why we built this calculator. It's free, it's accurate, and it's here to help you figure out your sick leave balance without the runaround. Because when you're feeling terrible, the last thing you need is uncertainty about whether you're covered.

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).

💡 Tip: Enter the number of days you've taken off sick. Use 0.5 for half days.

Results

Your sick leave calculation results.

Your results will appear here automatically as you enter your details.

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

How Sick Leave Accrues

Sick leave accumulates at 1/26 of your annual ordinary hours, as confirmed by the High Court in Mondelez v AMWU. This ensures fair accrual regardless of work patterns.

Calculation Examples

Full-time (38 hrs/week): 76 hours/year (10 days)

Part-time (19 hrs/week): 38 hours/year (5 days)

Part-time (24 hrs/week): 48 hours/year (6.3 days)

Key Information

Carries Over

Unused sick leave accumulates year to year with no maximum cap

Medical Evidence

Employers can request medical certificates for any absence

No Cash Out

Cannot be paid out except in limited circumstances

Casual Leave

Casual employees get 2 days unpaid carer's leave per occasion

Compassionate

2 days paid compassionate leave per occasion for immediate family

Public Holidays

Public holidays during sick leave don't count as sick days

About Sick Leave in Australia

Understanding Your Sick Leave Entitlements

In Australia, sick leave (officially known as personal/carer's leave) is a fundamental workplace right protected under the National Employment Standards (NES). Full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid sick leave per year, while part-time employees receive a pro-rata amount based on their ordinary hours of work.

This entitlement begins accumulating from your first day of employment and carries over year to year with no maximum cap. Whether you're dealing with a physical illness, mental health condition, or need to care for an immediate family member, understanding how to calculate and use your sick leave is essential for every Australian worker.

How to Calculate Your Sick Leave

The calculation of sick leave in Australia follows a simple formula based on the landmark Mondelez v AMWU High Court decision, which confirmed that sick leave should be calculated based on ordinary hours rather than fixed days.

The 1/26 Formula

Your annual sick leave entitlement = (Ordinary weekly hours × 52.18) ÷ 26

Full-time Example (38 hours/week):

  • Annual hours: 38 × 52.18 = 1,982.84 hours
  • Sick leave entitlement: 1,982.84 ÷ 26 = 76.26 hours
  • Equivalent to: 10 "notional" days

Part-time Example (19 hours/week):

  • Annual hours: 19 × 52.18 = 991.42 hours
  • Sick leave entitlement: 991.42 ÷ 26 = 38.13 hours
  • Equivalent to: 5 "notional" days

This method ensures fairness across all work patterns, whether you work standard Monday-Friday hours or have a more complex roster. The key is that your entitlement is based on your ordinary hours of work, not a fixed number of days.

How Sick Leave Accrues

Sick leave doesn't appear in your account all at once. Instead, it accrues progressively throughout the year from your first day of employment. For a full-time employee, this means you earn approximately:

  • 1.46 hours per week - Your continuous weekly accrual
  • 6.35 hours per month - Roughly equivalent to one day per month
  • 76 hours per year - Your total annual entitlement

This progressive accrual means that in your first few months of employment, you'll have limited sick leave available. However, any unused leave carries over indefinitely, allowing long-term employees to build substantial sick leave balances for when they really need them.

Payment During Sick Leave

When you take sick leave, you're paid at your base rate of pay for your ordinary hours of work. This means:

  • You receive your normal hourly rate (excluding overtime rates)
  • Penalties, allowances, and bonuses are not included
  • You're paid for the hours you would have normally worked
  • Shift workers are paid their roster as if they were at work

For example, if you normally work 7.6 hours on a Tuesday and take that day as sick leave, you'll be paid 7.6 hours at your base rate, provided you have sufficient leave accrued.

Key Points About Sick Leave

Accumulation & Rollover

Unused sick leave rolls over year to year with no maximum cap. Some employees accumulate hundreds of days over long careers, though this balance is not paid out when employment ends.

Evidence Requirements

Employers can request reasonable evidence (usually a medical certificate) for any absence. This is especially common for absences over 2 days or frequent single-day absences.

Carer's Leave

Your sick leave entitlement also covers caring for immediate family or household members who are ill, injured, or facing an unexpected emergency.

Public Holidays

If a public holiday falls during your sick leave period, it's paid as a public holiday, not as sick leave, preserving your sick leave balance.

Special Circumstances

Casual Employees

Casual employees don't receive paid sick leave but are entitled to 2 days of unpaid carer's leave per occasion when caring for immediate family. The 25% casual loading compensates for the lack of leave entitlements.

Running Out of Sick Leave

If you exhaust your sick leave balance, options include taking unpaid leave, using annual leave (with employer agreement), or accessing income protection insurance if available.

Mental Health Leave

Mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout, are valid reasons for sick leave. These are treated exactly the same as physical illness under Australian law.

Using Our Calculator

Our sick leave calculator above uses the official 1/26 formula endorsed by the Fair Work Ombudsman and confirmed by the High Court. Simply enter your employment details to see your exact entitlement and current balance.

The calculator accounts for the proper 52.18 weeks per year (not 52), ensures accurate pro-rata calculations for part-time workers, and helps you track leave taken to maintain an accurate balance.

Sick Leave Calculator FAQs

Common questions about calculating sick leave entitlements in Australia

Sick leave in Australia is calculated at 1/26 of your ordinary hours worked per year. For full-time employees working 38 hours/week, multiply 38 × 52.18 ÷ 26 = 76.26 hours (10 days) per year. Sick leave accrues progressively throughout the year and unused leave carries over.

A full-time employee working 38 hours per week accrues 76 hours of paid sick leave per year, which translates to 10 'notional' days. This accrues at approximately 1.46 hours per week or 6.35 hours per month, starting from your first day of employment.

The formula is: (sick days × target working days) ÷ 100. However, in Australia, sick leave entitlement = (ordinary weekly hours × 52.18) ÷ 26. This gives you annual hours which you then divide by daily hours to get days.

In Australia, sick pay is calculated at your base pay rate for ordinary hours. Full-time employees receive 10 days annually, with part-time getting a proportional amount. Sick leave is paid at your ordinary rate (not including overtime, penalty rates, allowances), and can be carried over to the next year.

Full-time employees receive 10 days of paid sick/personal leave per year. Part-time employees receive a pro-rata amount based on their hours. This leave accrues from day one and carries over year to year with no limit to accumulation.

Full-time employees accrue approximately 1.46 hours of sick leave per week (10 days ÷ 52.18 weeks). Part-time employees accrue leave on a pro-rata basis. The leave carries over to subsequent years if unused.

There isn't a set number per month. Rather, employees are entitled to 10 days of paid personal/carer's leave per year, which accrues over time. This is approximately 0.83 days per month for full-time workers, but the entitlement accrues continuously and can be accrued and used as needed.

Calculate your sick leave credit by: 1) Determining your ordinary weekly hours, 2) Multiply by 52.18 for annual hours, 3) Divide by 26 for yearly entitlement, 4) Calculate time employed as a fraction of a year, 5) Multiply yearly entitlement by time employed, 6) Subtract any leave taken.

There is no limit to sick leave accumulation in Australia. Unused sick leave rolls over year after year indefinitely. Some long-term employees can accumulate hundreds of days, though this balance is not paid out when employment ends.

For a full-time employee (38 hours/week), approximately 6.35 hours of sick leave equals one month's accrual. This is calculated as 76 hours annual entitlement ÷ 12 months.

Sick leave accrues at a rate of 1/26 of ordinary hours worked per year. For example: 38 hours/week × 52.18 weeks = 1982.84 hours per year ÷ 26 = 76.26 hours sick leave per year.

Count sick leave based on your ordinary hours of work, not fixed days. Track it progressively throughout the year at 1/26 of annual ordinary hours. For a full-time employee working 38 hours/week, this equals 10 days or 76 hours per year.

Unused sick leave carries over year to year indefinitely with no cap. However, it's typically not paid out when employment ends, unlike annual leave. Exceptions may apply for specific enterprise agreements or employment contracts.

No, weekends don't count as sick days unless you were scheduled to work those days. Sick leave only applies to your normal working days. Public holidays during sick leave also don't count as sick days.

Full-time employees get 10 days (76 hours based on 38-hour week) of paid sick/personal leave per year under the National Employment Standards. This accrues from day one and accumulates if unused.

In Australia, full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid sick/personal leave per year, part-time employees get a pro-rata amount, and casual employees don't receive paid sick leave but get a 25% loading to compensate.

You're entitled to 2 weeks (10 days) of sick pay per year if working full-time. This accumulates year on year, so after 5 years you could have 50 days accrued if unused. There's no maximum cap on accumulation.

To claim sick pay: 1) Notify your employer as soon as possible, 2) Follow workplace notification procedures, 3) Provide evidence if required (medical certificate), 4) Complete any required forms, 5) Your employer processes payment with your regular pay cycle.

No, 3 days is not too much if you're genuinely unwell. You're entitled to 10 days per year. Employers may request medical evidence for absences, especially if frequent or extended. Always provide proper documentation when required.

Yes, if you have accrued enough sick leave. After 2.5 years of full-time employment, you'd have approximately 25 days (1 month) accrued. You'll likely need medical certificates for extended absences and should communicate with your employer.

Employers cannot reject legitimate sick leave if you provide required evidence and have available entitlement. They can request reasonable evidence (medical certificates) and may reject if proper procedures aren't followed or evidence isn't provided.

There's no specific number - you can use your entitled 10 days per year as needed. However, frequent short absences may trigger employer concerns and requests for medical evidence. Pattern absences (Mondays/Fridays) might also raise questions.

You cannot be fired for taking legitimate sick leave with proper evidence. However, excessive absences beyond entitlements, failure to provide required documentation, or dishonest use of sick leave could lead to disciplinary action.

Yes, employers can make reasonable contact about work matters, handovers, or to check your expected return date. However, they should respect that you're unwell and limit contact to necessary matters only.

Calculate sick pay by multiplying your ordinary hourly rate by sick hours taken. For example, if you earn $25/hour and take 2 days (15.2 hours) sick leave, you receive $380 in sick pay. Only base rate applies, not penalties or overtime.

If you exhaust sick leave, options include: taking unpaid leave, using annual leave (if employer agrees), applying for income protection insurance benefits, or in serious cases, accessing government support. Communicate with your employer about available options.

Yes, if the appointment is for treating an illness or injury. Routine check-ups typically don't qualify unless you're experiencing symptoms. Some employers are flexible, so check your workplace policy.

To calculate sick leave days: 1) Find your weekly hours, 2) Multiply by 52.18 for annual hours, 3) Divide by 26 for yearly hour entitlement, 4) Divide by your daily hours (weekly hours ÷ 5) to get days. Example: 38 hours/week = 76 hours/year = 10 days.

Generally no - if you're too sick to work, you shouldn't be traveling. However, recuperative travel with doctor's approval may be acceptable. Always inform your employer and get medical clearance to avoid misconduct claims.

The average Australian takes 8.8 sick days per year. Taking your entitled days when genuinely needed is normal and expected. There's no 'right' amount - use what you need for health and wellbeing.

Yes, employers must provide leave balances on payslips under Fair Work regulations. You should see your sick leave balance on each pay slip, and can request this information from HR at any time.

Need a Medical Certificate?

Get legitimate medical certificates from Australian doctors online. Available 24/7.