I want to and will need to take time off for my partner's medical condition. Today it's to support and go to doctors to find out about their operation details. What will my leave be categorised under? Sick leave, annual leave or other. Thanking all in advance.
Thanks all. It's under carers leave which is part of personal leave which includes all sick leave entitlements. One in the same.
I ahould have googled first. Carers leave which is taken out of personal leave. However todays appointment is more for me to be there with partner. She could go herself.
Most people in your situation would probably just have a sick day. It depends on your workplace and how many questions they ask. Also what's in your employment agreement.
If you have a doc cert for your wide, you can take cares leave=personal leave. If not you will need to take Annual.
I think the doctors certificate is only if the employer asks for it or has an issue. I wont be taking all day off anyway, so if there is an issue, I will just make up additional hours in lieu. Technically the employer could make you use annual leave, but you can take time off for carers leave.
Sick leave, annual leave or other.
Does it make a difference? Is it a question of getting paid or not?
It does make a difference. Sick leave doesn't get paid out when you leave if not used. If you use annual leave that's less of your payout and also your using it to out of your holiday leave time. I think it will go under carers which is personal leave which means less sick day.
Personal leave
At my company your carers leave comes out of your sick leave
Carers leave.
At my work carers leave still comes out of sick leave though. The only difference is it just says carers leave on payslip.
Up until last years Enterprise agreement it was called Carers Leave and you could take it from either your sick leave or recreation leave balance.
The latest agreement they changed the name to personal leave.
Every work place is different so you need to read your award and any workplace specific agreements that are in place.
Also, if the workplace has a union, join it. Let them do the negotiations for future lifestyle friendly entitlements. It's a lot easier if the Union Organiser calls the boss a f***tard and is tax deductable
Not under any specific workplace agreement or award, just my contract which states sick leave which is now personal leave as you say. All good. Thanks all.
"calls the boss a f***tard"
Favourite part of the job!
fun but career limiting.
Carers leave
Straight from your National Employment Standard
" Personal/carer's leave (includes sick leave), compassionate leave and unpaid family and domestic violence leave
10 days' paid personal/carer's leave (includes sick leave)
2 days' unpaid carer's leave as required
2 days' compassionate leave (unpaid for casuals) as required
5 days' unpaid family and domestic violence leave (in a 12 month period)."
Sick leave / carer's leave / personal leave - its all the same paid pool - 10 days a year for a full time employee.
Technically, Carer's leave can't be used just to support at medical appointments, but most workplaces will be a human about it. But year, personal/Carers leave.
@MercSal
Carer's leave can't be used just to support at medical appointments
I don't know where you get that.
From Fairwork, carer's leave: "…lets an employee take time off to help them deal with personal illness, caring responsibilities" (https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/sick-and-carers-leave)
Further on: "An employee may have to take time off to care for an immediate family or household member who is sick "
This is pretty unambiguous. If the person you are caring for requires assistance at a medical appointment, it is clearly covered under carer's leave ("caring responsibilities").
MercSal is technically right, which they already qualified their comment with. Carer's leave is supposed to be, as you quoted:
An employee may have to take time off to care for an immediate family or household member who is sick
Accompanying to a medical appointment if the family member is able to do so by themselves doesn't (again, technically) count, but no employer is going to quibble about it.
Late response (sorry!)
I know its weird, but a strict reading of the FWA doesn't actually provide for leave to attend medical appointments, only for periods where you are unfit for work. Generally, these periods line up. But I've certainly seen bosses knock back leave for regular medical appointments unrelated to the person's fitness for work.
The same can be extended to Carer's leave, in that "care" is not just being there, you actually need to be doing something for them. This can include emotional support of course.
Again, the vast majority of workplaces are reasonable, but when you've seen HR try and say a 3-year-old child in the hospital for heart surgery is already receiving care so the employee is expected to be at work, you tend to account for the worst.
Just fyi:
All one in the same.
The phrase is "one and the same".
/grammarnazi
Hope all's good with the SO.
Cheers.
Always Ozb's on the ball. News is positive as best ot can be. Still operation required,89% full recovery.
Operation went well today. Further test results on Friday to be sure we are in the clear.
Family/care giving leave.