Sick leave at work: rights, notice and medical evidence

Tell your employer promptly

Fair Work says you should notify your employer as soon as possible that you need sick or carer's leave and explain how long you expect to be away. Where necessary, notice can be given after the leave has started. Follow the workplace's notification process where you can and keep a record of the message. Fair Work guidance on notice and medical evidence

You do not need to wait until a certificate arrives to say you are unwell. If your expected return date changes, update your employer. For example, if you initially expected to miss one shift but are still unable to work, communicate the change and seek further care where needed rather than assuming the original notification covers everything.

Check the evidence requirement

An employer can request evidence for an absence of one day or less. An award or registered agreement may specify when evidence is needed and the type required, provided the request is reasonable in the circumstances. Fair Work lists medical certificates and statutory declarations as examples of evidence. Fair Work guidance on notice and medical evidence

Ask what the workplace needs before booking if the request is unclear. Is it evidence of the dates you were unfit for work, a return-to-work assessment or a specific occupational form? Those are not always the same request, and a standard absence certificate may not address a more detailed workplace question.

Describe the demands of your work

Tell the doctor what you normally do and why the current problem prevents you from doing it. “I work in an office” may leave out driving between sites, operating equipment or other duties. “I work from home” does not establish that someone is able to perform their role while unwell.

Explain the symptoms and functional impact in your own words. The doctor needs an accurate history, not a rehearsed phrase designed to secure a certificate. Relevant details include when the problem began, whether it is improving or worsening and what treatment or assessment you have already had.

Prepare for the assessment

Have the requested dates, relevant medical history and current medicines available. If your workplace has supplied a form, show it to the doctor. Bring any records you already have that relate to the issue, especially if another service recently assessed you for the same problem.

Remote assessment has limits. A doctor may decide you need an examination, tests or another service before they can form an appropriate opinion. A request for work evidence does not remove that clinical responsibility. If you need treatment as well as a certificate, explain both needs at the beginning. Medical Board telehealth guidelines

Understand what the fee covers

Doccio currently lists $19 for a one-day certificate request and $29 for a two-day request. Certificates covering three or more days require doctor care, listed at $59 during business hours or $79 after hours. Check current pricing and the selected service conditions before booking. Doccio’s published service pricing

Choosing a service does not guarantee the requested document or duration. The doctor decides what the assessment supports. If the issue involves a detailed fitness-for-duty or occupational assessment, check whether the service can address that purpose before assuming a standard certificate pathway is suitable.

Check the document before submitting it

Confirm your name and the relevant dates, then submit the original document through your employer's nominated channel. Keep a copy for your records. If you notice an error, ask the issuing clinic to review it; do not change the PDF yourself.

Doccio certificates carry a verification ID that employers can check through the certificate verification service. Verification addresses whether a document is genuine. It does not determine an employee's available leave balance or resolve a disagreement about employment entitlements.

What if the employer asks for more information?

First identify the exact question. A request to confirm authenticity is different from a request for a full diagnosis, clinical notes or a new fitness assessment. Show the written request to the clinic if clinical clarification is needed. Avoid sending more health information than the process requires.

If the issue is leave payment or the interpretation of a workplace rule, seek guidance from Fair Work, your union or an appropriate adviser. A doctor can explain what their assessment supports but cannot settle every employment dispute. For a broader explanation, read are online medical certificates valid?. Fair Work guidance on notice and medical evidence

Common questions

Request an appropriate assessment

Gather your dates, check the workplace requirements and describe how your health affects your duties. Request a work certificate assessment, or choose doctor care if you need a broader clinical review. Read the main certificate guide for the full process.

Keep a simple absence record

Record the shift or ordinary hours affected, when you notified the employer and what evidence was requested. Save the certificate and the confirmation that it was submitted. This can help if payroll later records the wrong dates or leave type. Keep clinical notes separate from the administrative record you share at work.

If a roster changes during the absence, ask payroll to explain the record rather than trying to resolve the issue by changing a certificate. The clinical document and the leave calculation have different purposes. A doctor can assess incapacity; the employer applies the relevant employment arrangements to the absence.

Working from home does not remove the health question

Describe the actual work you would do at home. Concentration, calls, decision-making and caring for others may still be difficult when unwell. Being physically able to open a laptop does not settle whether you can perform the work. Fair Work's general test concerns inability to work because of illness or injury. Fair Work's paid sick leave guidance

If you and the employer discuss reduced duties or hours, clarify the arrangement and how it will be recorded. Avoid an unclear situation in which you are simultaneously expected to recover and complete a normal workload. Bring any capacity question to the treating clinician.

If the leave balance or evidence is disputed

Ask for the issue in writing: is it the balance, dates, notice, authenticity or a request for different evidence? Gather the relevant documents before responding. A dispute about payroll does not necessarily require another consultation; a request for a new clinical opinion may.

For individual entitlement questions, check your award, agreement or employment system and contact Fair Work or an appropriate adviser. Do not ask a doctor to guarantee an employment outcome. The useful next step is identifying the unresolved question and the person qualified to answer it.

Discuss your next step with a doctor

Read about Doccio's medical certificate assessment and book an online doctor appointment for a suitable non-emergency concern. Bring the relevant history, records and questions from this guide. A doctor decides whether advice, treatment, a document, testing or in-person care is appropriate. Check current fees and service information before booking. If symptoms are urgent, use the appropriate urgent or emergency service instead of waiting for a routine appointment.