Can I get backdated carer’s certificate?

No. Hola Health does not provide a backdated carer’s certificate. A doctor cannot change the date on a certificate to make it look like you were assessed earlier. You can get a carer’s leave certificate where

• The issue date is today (when you actually request a certificate)
• The period of leave is specified clearly, starting with the date of the request made
• For multiple days, doctor specifies the date in the certificate
• The doctor bases this on your account of what happened and their clinical judgement

What Fair Work Actually Requires

Under the Fair Work Act 2009, your employer can ask for evidence when you take carer’s leave. The legal test is whether the evidence would “satisfy a reasonable person.”

A few things worth knowing:

• Employers can request evidence for any period of leave, even a single day
• A medical certificate is the most widely accepted form of evidence
• Employers can verify the carer’s certificate online

Full-time and part-time employees get 10 days of paid personal and carer’s leave per year. Casual employees can access 2 days of unpaid carer’s leave per occasion.

Date of Assessment vs. Period of Illness

This trips a lot of people up. They are two different things on a certificate.

• The date of assessment is when the doctor saw you. This is always the certificate’s issue date.
• Period of illness is the dates you were actually unfit, or needed to provide care. This can go for multiple days.

How Hola Health checks out for carers’ leave?

• Hola Health provides a valid carer’s leave certificate after a telehealth process
• Each certificate issued upon approval is certified by an AHPRA-registered Australian GP or practitioner
• All carer’s certificate has AHPRA number and the signature of the doctor
• All medical certificates and carer certificates can be easily verified by an employer.

Why Telehealth Makes This Easier

When you are at home caring for someone, leaving to visit a GP clinic is not always an option. Telehealth is a practical solution.

• You can see an Australian-registered doctor from home, including on weekends and public holidays
• Telehealth carers’ certificates carry the same legal weight as in-person ones
• Most consultations are quick, and certificates arrive by email within minutes

What the Doctor Needs to Know

Whether you consult in person or via telehealth, come prepared with a few basics:

• Who you were caring for and their relationship to you (child, parent, spouse, household member)
• When the illness started and how it progressed
• Why was your presence necessary

The doctor does not need to put your family member’s diagnosis on the certificate. They only need to confirm that care is required during a period.

Can I get a carer’s certificate for a family member via telehealth?

Yes. You explain the situation to the doctor, who will decide whether issuing a certificate is clinically appropriate. Hola Health offers this service, and it is straightforward.

Can a nurse practitioner issue a carer’s certificate?

Yes. Nurse practitioners are registered health practitioners in Australia and are authorised to issue medical certificates. The Fair Work Act refers to evidence from a “registered health practitioner,” which includes nurse practitioners. Some enterprise agreements may specify a medical doctor, so it’s worth checking your workplace policy if you are unsure.

Request a carer’s leave with Hola Health now.