Unpaid carer's leave
All employees, including casual employees, are entitled to 2 days unpaid carer’s leave.
On this page:
Accessing unpaid carer's leave
Employees get 2 days unpaid carer’s leave each time an immediate family member or household member of the employee needs care and support because of:
- illness
- injury or
- an unexpected emergency.
Full-time and part-time employees can only get unpaid carer’s leave if they don’t have any paid sick / carer’s leave left.
Find out who is an immediate family or household member on the Sick and carer’s leave page.
Taking unpaid carer’s leave
Unpaid carer’s leave can be taken:
- in 1 continuous period (for example, 2 working days in a row) or
- in separate periods as agreed between the employee and employer (for example, 4 half days could be taken in a row).
An employer can’t take negative action against an employee for taking unpaid carer’s leave. To find out more, see Protections at work.
Source reference: Fair Work Act 2009 s.102