Your agreement allows you to take five personal leave absences in a year without providing ‘suitable evidence’. Importantly this does not mean that your first five absences are automatically counted as those without evidence. There may be some disagreements about what is suitable evidence. Let us know if a manager has knocked back your evidence.
What is suitable evidence
In deciding what is suitable evidence, team leaders and managers must take
into account:
your circumstances including medical conditions;
the circumstances around the taking of the leave; and,
any other relevant factors.
Suitable evidence can come from a medical practitioner or a wide range of
other medical professionals. For example, a receipt from a pathology service
demonstrating you attended for a test should suffice.
If you are taking carer's leave, evidence could be provided from the school
or child care centre if possible.
There may be other evidence appropriate to the circumstances that can be
provided.
Evidence cannot be requested retrospectively.
The medical practitioner should not need to detail the nature of your
illness. A certificate stating you are unfit for duty should be sufficient.
Any attendance plans currently in place automatically requiring you to
provide evidence should cease, and you will commence the year with access to
five absences without evidence.
What if I can't see a doctor?
If you are unable to see a doctor you may provide a statutory
declaration advising why you couldn't see the medical provider and the reasons
for the absence. You should outline any difficulties in accessing the medical
provider.
Can I be forced to provide evidence if I haven't had five absences without
evidence in the year?
No.
How is an absence defined?
An absence is a day or part of a day.
Can evidence be required for special leave?
Yes. This does not fall within the 5 absences. For special leave
you could provide evidence such as a funeral notice, a receipt for emergency
house repairs or an accident report.
