Sick leave on a 38-hour week.
A full-time employee on the standard 38-hour week accrues 10 days (76 hours) of paid personal/carer's (sick) leave a year, about 1.462 hours for every week worked. The calculator is set to 38 hours; change the rate and dates to match your own job.
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| Component | Formula | Value |
|---|---|---|
| NES entitlement | (38h × 52) ÷ 26 (s.96(1)) | 76.00 hrs/yr |
| Accrual rate | 76.00 ÷ 52 | 1.462 hrs/wk |
| Hours accrued | 1.462 × 52 wks | 76.21 hrs |
| Days equivalent | 76.21 ÷ 7.6h | 10.03 days |
Disclaimer: This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. Results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation or your circumstances. This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. We do not recommend taking actions based solely on these results. The calculator makes assumptions and results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation, modern awards, or your personal circumstances. You use this information at your own risk. We can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. For official guidance, visit Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au). Fair Work Ombudsman.
How sick leave works on a 38-hour week
Under section 96 of the Fair Work Act 2009, full-time and part-time employees get 10 days of paid personal/carer's leavefor each year of service. This single pool covers both sick leave (when you are unwell or injured) and carer's leave (to care for an immediate family or household member). For the standard full-time week of 38 hours, 10 days is worth 76 hours (10 × 7.6).
Leave accrues progressively as you work. On a 38-hour week the rate is 76 ÷ 52 = 1.462 hours a week. Unused personal leave carries over year to year with no cap, but unlike annual leave it is not paid out when you leave the job.
Sick leave accrued on a 38-hour week
How much paid personal/carer's leave a full-time, 38-hour-a-week employee has built up after a given period of service. Hours are the figure tracked under the NES; days assume a standard 7.6-hour day.
| Time worked | Hours accrued | Days (7.6h) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | 1.46 | 0.19 |
| 1 month | 6.33 | 0.83 |
| 6 months | 38.00 | 5.00 |
| 1 year | 76.00 | 10.00 |
| 2 years | 152.00 | 20.00 |
| 5 years | 380.00 | 50.00 |
Worked example
Sam works full-time, 38 hours a week. After one full year Sam has accrued 76 hours (10 days) of paid personal leave, building at 1.462 hours a week. Take three sick days (22.8 hours) and the balance drops to 53.2 hours, then keeps growing. Because it carries over, an employee who rarely gets sick can build a large balance, but it is never paid out on termination.
Other hours, other leave types
Not on a 38-hour week? The personal leave calculator accepts any hours per week and pro-rates the 10-day entitlement for you. For paid annual leave on the same 38-hour week, see the annual leave calculator for a 38-hour week.
Sick leave on a 38-hour week.
The most-asked questions about full-time personal/carer's leave accrual.