Work out how much paid sick and carer's leave you've accrued under the National Employment Standards, your balance after leave taken, in hours and days, and what it's worth.
Sick leave each year by hours worked
| Ordinary hours a week | Leave a year | In days (hours spread over 5 days) | Accrued each month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 76.0 hours | 10 days of 7.6 hours | 6.33 hours |
| 30.4 | 60.8 hours | 10 days of 6.08 hours | 5.07 hours |
| 22.8 | 45.6 hours | 10 days of 4.56 hours | 3.80 hours |
| 19 | 38.0 hours | 10 days of 3.8 hours | 3.17 hours |
| 15.2 | 30.4 hours | 10 days of 3.04 hours | 2.53 hours |
| 7.6 | 15.2 hours | 10 days of 1.52 hours | 1.27 hours |
How it works
- Paid personal/carer's leave accrues at 1/26 of the ordinary hours you work: 10 days a year for full-time employees, pro rata for part-time.
- How your hours are spread across the week doesn't change the hours you accrue.
- It accrues during paid leave, community service leave and long service leave, but not during unpaid leave.
- Awards, agreements and contracts can give more, never less.
Common questions
How much sick leave do I get?
Full-time employees get 10 days of paid personal/carer's (sick and carer's) leave a year under the National Employment Standards. Part-time employees get the same pro rata: 1/26 of their ordinary hours. For a 38-hour week that's 76 hours a year.
How does sick leave accrue?
Progressively from your first day, at 1/26 of the ordinary hours you work. It keeps accruing while you're on paid leave (including annual and long service leave) but not during unpaid leave.
Do casuals get sick leave?
No. Casual employees aren't entitled to paid sick and carer's leave; they get a casual loading instead (see the casual loading calculator).
Does unused sick leave carry over?
Yes. The balance at the end of each year carries over to the next year. It isn't paid out when you leave unless your agreement or contract says so.
Is carer's leave separate from sick leave?
No. Sick leave and carer's leave come out of the same personal/carer's leave balance.
See also the annual leave calculator, long service leave and casual loading.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman, Paid sick and carer's leave (Fair Work Act 2009 ss 95–97). Checked 2026-10-22. General information only.