Sick leave

Sick leave in New Zealand entitles eligible employees to 10 days of paid leave each year. This entitlement covers absences for personal illness or injury, as well as time needed to care for partners, children, or other dependants who are unwell. The leave is paid at the employee's ordinary weekly pay rate and does not reduce an employee's other leave entitlements such as annual leave or bereavement leave.

The sick leave framework is governed by the Employment Relations Act 2000 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, with guidance provided by Employment New Zealand, the government agency responsible for employment standards. The current 10-day entitlement has been in place as the statutory minimum, though individual employment agreements may provide more generous provisions.

Employers must allow employees to take sick leave when genuinely required and cannot unreasonably refuse requests. Employees are generally expected to notify their employer as soon as practicable when they need to take sick leave, though the timing and notice requirements should be reasonable given the circumstances. Medical certificates may be requested by employers, typically after three consecutive days of absence or in cases of repeated short-term absences, provided the request is reasonable and proportionate.

Payroll teams must ensure sick leave is correctly recorded and paid, maintaining accurate records of all leave taken. Employers should have clear sick leave policies in place that comply with the statutory minimum and communicate these policies to all employees. Failure to provide the statutory entitlement or to pay sick leave correctly can result in personal grievance claims and penalties under employment law.