Unpaid leave for medical care

You can take up to 5 days leave without pay to care for someone who needs significant care or support for a serious medical reason. The leave is available to parents and carers.

You can apply for the leave to care for your:

• child (or other relevant person)
• spouse or civil partner
• cohabitant
• parent or grandparent
• brother or sister
• a person who lives in the same household as you (and not specified above)

This leave entitlement is separate to force majeure leave (paid leave for urgent family reasons).

You do not need to have minimum service to take the leave.

Taking the leave

You may be given up to 5 days leave for medical care in a year.

You cannot take the leave for periods of less than 1 day. If you take leave for medical care purposes for part of a day, it counts as 1 day.

You do not have to take the leave all together, it can be taken over a 12 month period.

How to apply

As soon as reasonably practical fill in the unpaid leave for medical care purposes form (PDF, 98 KB, 4 pages)

You will need to confirm:

• start date
• length of leave
• why you are entitled to the leave

You may be asked to give information about:

• your relationship to the person you are caring for
• nature of the care and support
• evidence showing that the person needs significant care or support

You might be asked for evidence of the medical need for the leave, such as a medical certificate. If you do not have a medical certificate, your manager may ask for other evidence showing that the person needs serious medical care.

Annual leave and public holidays

You continue to build up annual leave and public holidays if you take unpaid medical leave.

Related documents

Unpaid leave for medical care purposes form (PDF, 98 KB, 4 pages)

HR Circular 017 2023 Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (PDF, 328 KB, 4 pages)