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Can you use sick leave for medical appointments in Australia?
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nelson Lau, MBBS FRACGP. Last updated & reviewed on 5 Oct 2026. Usually, no. You can’t use paid sick leave for a pre-booked, routine appointment if you’re otherwise fit for work.
The eligibility for personal leave (sick leave) under the National Employment Standards (NES) applies when an employee is unable to work due to illness or injury, rather than simply because they have visited a doctor.
However, if the appointment is to treat an illness or injury that makes you unfit for work, sick leave applies. It ultimately comes down to one thing: are you too sick to work?
This guide covers:
- The “unfit for work” rule. How the Fair Work Act decides if your appointment qualifies.
- Routine check-ups vs. treatment. The difference between preventative visits and ongoing care.
- Medical evidence. A basic “certificate of attendance” vs. a proper medical certificate.
The Fair Work Rule: “Unfit for Work” explained
Under the Fair Work Act 2009, you can take paid personal leave if illness or injury makes you unfit for work. That’s the main test for sick leave, but you still need reasonable evidence if your employer asks for it. This is called the “unfit for work” test. The key issue isn’t whether you have visited a doctor, but whether your illness or injury prevents you from performing your job on that particular day.
Full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave per year. Part-time employees accrue leave on a pro-rata basis. Unused leave carries over from year to year. Sick leave and carer’s leave come from the same leave entitlement; they do not separate leave balances.
For a complete breakdown of your sick leave entitlements, read our full guide to Sick leave in Australia.
Routine check-ups vs. treating an illness
Routine and preventative appointments (dental, optometry, general check-ups)
If you are healthy and attending a scheduled check-up, such as an eye test, a scale-and-clean, or an annual physical, you are not unfit for work. Sick leave does not apply in this situation.
In these situations, you would typically need to consider alternatives such as:
- Annual leave – the usual choice for planned time off.
- Time in lieu (TIL) – where you work additional hours and take the time off later, subject to agreement with your employer.
- Flexible working hours – where your workplace allows you to adjust your schedule around brief appointments.
Check your award, agreement, or contract — it may offer more generous options.
Specialist appointments and ongoing treatments
There is a genuine grey area for employees undergoing ongoing treatment for a chronic illness or serious injury.
If your treatment or medical condition leaves you temporarily unable to work that day, for example, after radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or treatment for a severe injury, sick leave will generally apply.
If ongoing treatments require weeks or months away from your role, you may need to apply for a formal medical leave of absence.
What if I feel sick and need to go to the doctor?
This is a clear case. If you wake up with a fever, severe pain, or an acute illness and need to see a doctor, or if you become unwell at work and need to leave, sick leave applies.
If the appointment is because of an illness stopping you from working, it meets the test under s.97 of the Fair Work Act. Your employer may ask for evidence, like a medical certificate, when you return.
Can I use carer’s leave to take someone to the doctor?
| Situation | Leave Type |
|---|---|
| Child woke up with a fever; taking them to the GP | Carer’s leave |
| Child’s routine vaccination or standard dental check-up | Annual leave (child is not sick) |
| Elderly parent needs support at a specialist appointment for their illness or injury | Carer’s leave |
| Driving a healthy family member to a scheduled check-up | Annual leave |
Your employer may ask you to provide evidence that the family members needed your care or support, but they cannot insist on knowing the exact medical diagnosis.
Looking for a carer’s leave certificate? Hola offers medical certificates online for work and school. Know more about telehealth medical certificates for carer’s leave.
Antenatal (pregnancy) appointments and sick leave
Pregnancy itself is not classified as illness or injury under the Fair Work Act.
This means regular pregnancy check-ups, including scans, midwife visits, and routine blood tests, do not automatically entitle you to sick leave when the pregnancy is progressing normally. These types of planned routine appointments are not automatically sick leave, while pregnancy-related illness or injury may be.
If you’re experiencing a pregnancy-related illness or injury, such as severe morning sickness, pre-eclampsia, or another condition that makes you unfit for work, sick leave applies in the usual way.
Related reading: Read our guide to Maternity Leave in Australia for a full breakdown of parental leave entitlements.
Certificate of attendance vs. medical certificate
| Certificate of Attendance | Medical Certificate |
|---|---|
| Confirms the person attended a clinic on a specific date | Confirms the practitioner assessed the patient as unfit for work |
| Does not include a clinical finding about fitness for work | States the period for which the person was unfit |
| Appropriate for attendance records, not sick leave justification | Required evidence for paid sick or carer’s leave under the NES, if it shows the person was genuinely entitled to the leave |
| May be used for routine appointments requiring proof of attendance | Issued by a registered health practitioner (GP, dentist, physiotherapist, pharmacist, etc.) within their scope of practice. Employers may also accept other evidence, such as a statutory declaration if it satisfies a reasonable person. |
A certificate of attendance only proves that a person was at a clinic. It does not prove that you were unfit for work.
A medical certificate, on the other hand, provides a clinical opinion of a medical professional that you were unfit for work for a particular period. Under the NES, this is the type of evidence employers commonly request. The certificate does not need to specify your diagnosis, only that you were unfit for work.
The Fair Work Ombudsman also accepts a statutory declaration as an alternative to a medical certificate where it is not practical to obtain one. The evidence needs to satisfy a reasonable person that you were entitled to sick or carer’s leave.
Too unwell to visit a clinic?
If you are too unwell to go to work or travel to a physical clinic, you can consult an Ahpra-registered practitioner via telehealth from home. Following a real-time medical assessment, the practitioner can issue a legitimate medical certificate if they determine you are unfit for work.
FAQ
1. Do I have to use annual leave for a doctor's appointment?
2. Can my employer ask what my medical appointment is for?
3. Can I use sick leave to go to the dentist?
4. Can you use sick leave for a blood test or scan?
5. Can my employer refuse me time off for a medical appointment?
6. Can you get a medical certificate via telehealth?
Reference links:
- Paid sick and carer’s leave – reference link
- Sick and carer’s leave – reference link
- Can personal leave be used for medical appointments – reference link
- Entitlements while pregnant – reference link
- Notice and medical certificates – reference link
Need a medical certificate?
Connect with an AHPRA-registered practitioner online. If clinically appropriate, your certificate is delivered to your inbox — usually within minutes.