TL;DR: A leave and time-off policy explains the leave your organisation offers, how employees request it, and how managers approve it. In Australia it must sit on top of the National Employment Standards, which set minimum annual, personal, compassionate, parental, family and domestic violence, and community service leave. A policy can give more, never less.
Key takeaways
- Full-time and part-time employees get 4 weeks of paid annual leave and 10 days of paid personal and carer’s leave a year, pro rata for part-time staff.
- All employees, including casuals, can access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave a year.
- An employer can only refuse an annual leave request if the refusal is reasonable.
- Long service leave and public holidays mostly come from state and territory law, so they differ by location.
- If a policy gives less than the National Employment Standards, the minimum entitlement still applies.
What is in this policy template?
The sample policy gives you a starting structure for the leave your organisation offers, both paid and unpaid. It covers how employees request leave and how it is approved, along with how leave builds up and carries over. Download it, then check each entitlement against the current minimums below and against any award or agreement that covers your people.
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How to adapt the sample
Start with the awards and enterprise agreements that cover your workforce, because they can add leave rules a general sample cannot know about. Then set your approval steps, your notice periods, and the evidence you will accept. Finally, have the result reviewed by someone qualified in Australian employment law.
What is a leave and time-off policy?
A leave and time-off policy is a written document that sets out which types of leave employees can take, how much, how to apply, who approves it, and what evidence may be needed. In Australia it explains how the organisation applies the National Employment Standards, plus any award, agreement, or extra leave the employer chooses to offer.
The policy turns legal minimums into a process people can follow. Employees learn how to book a holiday, what to do when they are sick, and who to tell. Managers learn what they can approve, when they can say no, and what records to keep.
Note that “paid time off” or “PTO” is a United States idea, where leave types are often pooled. Australian leave works differently, because each type of leave is a separate entitlement with its own rules. So a policy written for an American PTO bank will not fit the National Employment Standards without real changes.
What leave must Australian employers provide?
Australian employers must provide the leave set out in the National Employment Standards: annual leave, personal and carer’s leave, compassionate leave, family and domestic violence leave, community service leave, unpaid parental leave, and long service leave. Employees also have a right to be absent on public holidays. Awards, agreements, and contracts can give more, but never less.
The table below summarises the minimums, drawn from the Fair Work Ombudsman. Check your award or agreement for anything extra.
| Leave type | Minimum entitlement | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Annual leave | 4 weeks a year, based on ordinary hours, with more for some shiftworkers | Full-time and part-time employees |
| Paid sick and carer’s leave | 10 days a year for full-time staff, pro rata for part-time | Full-time and part-time employees |
| Unpaid carer’s leave | 2 days per occasion | Casuals, and other employees once paid carer’s leave runs out |
| Compassionate leave | 2 days each time a qualifying event occurs | All employees, unpaid for casuals |
| Family and domestic violence leave | 10 days of paid leave a year, available in full and reset on the work anniversary | All employees, including casuals |
| Community service leave | Unpaid, except for jury duty | All employees, including casuals |
| Unpaid parental leave | Up to 12 months, with a right to request up to 12 more | Employees with at least 12 months of service |
| Long service leave | Set mainly by state and territory law | Depends on the state or territory |
Annual leave accumulates from the first day of employment, even during probation, and unused leave rolls over from year to year. Sick and carer’s leave also carries over. By contrast, family and domestic violence leave does not accumulate; it simply resets each year.
Why do long service leave and public holidays differ by state?
Most employees’ long service leave comes from state and territory laws, which set how long someone must work and how much leave they get. In some states and territories, long serving casuals are eligible too. Public holidays also vary by state and territory, so a policy for a national workforce should point to the rules for each location rather than one list.
How should the policy handle annual leave requests?
The policy should explain how to request annual leave, how much notice to give, and who approves it. According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, an employer can only refuse a request if the refusal is reasonable. Directions to take leave, such as during a shutdown or when leave builds up, depend on the award or agreement.
There is no minimum or maximum amount of annual leave that can be taken at once, as long as the employer and employee agree. So an employee might take a part day, a single day, or several weeks. Spell out how you weigh competing requests, for example around school holidays, so decisions look consistent.
Suppose two people in a small team ask for the same fortnight in January. A policy that sets a clear order, such as first approved or a rotating priority, gives the manager a reasonable basis for refusing one request. Without one, the refusal looks arbitrary, and that is harder to defend.
Shutdowns and large leave balances need care. The Fair Work Ombudsman notes that the rules on when an employer can direct someone to take annual leave are set out in awards and registered agreements. That means a policy cannot simply create its own power to direct leave, so check each instrument first. For the mechanics of routing requests to the right manager, see how an HR approval workflow works.
What notice and evidence can you ask for?
You can ask for reasonable notice and reasonable evidence, within limits set by the National Employment Standards. For sick and carer’s leave, an employee must give reasonable evidence if the employer asks. For compassionate leave, an employer can request evidence such as a funeral notice, provided the request is reasonable. Family and domestic violence leave carries extra confidentiality obligations.
Set out in the policy what evidence you accept, such as a medical certificate or a statutory declaration, and when you will ask for it. Deciding this in advance keeps requests consistent, and consistency makes it easier to show that each request was reasonable. Compassionate leave notice can come after the leave has started, so the policy should not demand it beforehand.
How should family and domestic violence leave be handled?
All employees, including casuals, can access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year. According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, employers must take reasonable steps to keep any information about the employee’s situation confidential, including the notice and any evidence provided. Disclosure is allowed only where required by law, or where it is needed to protect someone’s life, health, or safety.
That has practical consequences for the policy. Limit who sees the request, store evidence securely, and agree with the employee how their information will be handled. Remember too that experiencing family and domestic violence is a protected attribute, so an employee cannot suffer adverse action because of it. If your current policy offers fewer than 10 days, the National Employment Standards still apply.
How does parental leave work alongside the government scheme?
Eligible employees can take up to 12 months of unpaid parental leave and request up to 12 more, for a total of up to 24 months. Separately, the government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme pays eligible parents. From 1 July 2026 the scheme provides 130 days, or 26 weeks based on a five-day week.
The two run side by side. According to Services Australia, the scheme does not create new leave entitlements, and employees can receive Parental Leave Pay as well as any leave the employer provides. Where an employer pays it, the employer provides Parental Leave Pay only for the first continuous block. In addition, the Department of Social Services states that parents of babies born or adopted on or after 1 July 2025 receive a superannuation payment based on 12 per cent of their Paid Parental Leave payment.
Unpaid parental leave is available to employees with at least 12 months of service, and to casuals who have worked regularly and systematically for 12 months. Part of the 12 months can be taken flexibly, rather than in one block. So the policy should explain how to give notice, how to request an extension, and how flexible days are booked. Pair it with your flexible work arrangements policy, because many parents also ask to change their hours on return.
When is a leave policy template not enough?
A leave policy template is not enough when your workforce spans several awards, states, or payroll entities, or when managers approve leave from email and spreadsheets. At that point the risk is in the process: requests going to the wrong approver, overlapping absences, and leave records that differ from payroll.
For a single-site team on one award, an adapted template is often sufficient. However, a mid-sized organisation usually needs leave requests, approvals, and a shared calendar in one place, connected to payroll. Worknice’s time-off management is one example of that setup.
Worknice is one option for Australian organisations of 200 to 5,000 employees that want leave requests, approvals, and a leave calendar in their HR system. Its calendar shows approved leave without revealing the leave category to other users. It integrates with payroll rather than replacing it, so an organisation that wants combined HR and payroll may prefer an all-in-one platform.
Why are we giving it away for free?
Worknice is a software platform that helps you focus your time and energy on people, rather than process. This downloadable template is a pdf or editable document. So while the content is great, it does not come to life with technology features like automations, workflows, auto-updates, electronic sign-offs, integration and more.
Frequently asked questions
How much annual leave do employees get in Australia?
Full-time and part-time employees get 4 weeks of paid annual leave a year under the National Employment Standards, based on their ordinary hours. Some shiftworkers get an extra week under their award or agreement. Annual leave accumulates from the first day, including during probation, and unused leave rolls over each year. Casuals do not get annual leave.
Can an employer refuse an annual leave request?
Yes, but only if the refusal is reasonable. The Fair Work Ombudsman states that an employer can only refuse a request for annual leave on reasonable grounds. Business needs, such as minimum staffing during a busy period, can be reasonable. A clear policy for competing requests helps show the refusal was fair and consistent.
Do casual employees get paid leave in Australia?
Casual employees do not get paid annual leave or paid sick leave. However, they can access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year. They are also entitled to unpaid carer’s leave, unpaid compassionate leave, and unpaid community service leave. Long serving casuals can qualify for long service leave in some states and territories.
Can an employer ask for a medical certificate for sick leave?
Yes. An employee must give reasonable evidence that they were not fit for work if the employer asks for it. A medical certificate is common, but the request must be reasonable. Many employers set out in their leave policy when they will ask for evidence, such as after a set number of days.
Is family and domestic violence leave paid?
Yes. All employees, including full-time, part-time, and casual employees, can access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year. The full amount is available immediately and resets on the employee’s work anniversary rather than accumulating. Employers must take reasonable steps to keep information about the employee’s situation confidential.
Related reading
- Sample flexible work arrangements policy
- What makes an HRIS Fair Work compliant?
- Leave requests and approvals for MYOB payroll
Sources
Annual, personal, and family and domestic violence leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “National Employment Standards.” Last updated 7 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/national-employment-standards
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Annual leave.” Last updated 7 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/annual-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Taking annual leave.” Last updated 10 August 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/annual-leave/taking-annual-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Directing an employee to take annual leave.” Last updated 7 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/annual-leave/directing-an-employee-to-take-annual-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Sick and carer’s leave.” Last updated 10 August 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/sick-and-carers-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Compassionate and bereavement leave.” Last updated 7 August 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/compassionate-and-bereavement-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Family and domestic violence leave.” Last updated 10 August 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/family-and-domestic-violence-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Notice and evidence for family and domestic violence leave.” Last updated 10 August 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/family-and-domestic-violence-leave/notice-and-evidence-for-family-domestic-violence-leave
Other leave, parental leave, and Paid Parental Leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Community service leave.” Last updated 7 August 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/community-service-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Long service leave.” Last updated 9 February 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/long-service-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Public holidays.” Last updated 8 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/public-holidays
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Types of parental leave.” Last updated 2 September 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/parental-leave/before-parental-leave/types-of-parental-leave
- Fair Work Ombudsman. “Applying for parental leave.” Last updated 2 September 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/parental-leave/before-parental-leave/applying-for-parental-leave
- Services Australia. “About the Paid Parental Leave scheme.” Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/organisations/business/services/centrelink/paid-parental-leave-scheme-employers/what-you-need-know/about-scheme
- Department of Social Services. “Super on Paid Parental Leave and expansion of the scheme.” Retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.dss.gov.au/paid-parental-leave/super-paid-parental-leave-and-expansion-scheme
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