Unpaid carer's leave
Coronavirus and Australian workplace laws
If your workplace has been impacted by coronavirus, we have information about your workplace rights and obligations at Coronavirus and Australian workplace laws.
A number of temporary changes have been introduced due to coronavirus including:
All employees, including casual employees are entitled to 2 days 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 (eg. 2 working days in a row) or
- in separate periods as agreed between the employee and employer (eg. 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 
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