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Choose your certificate
Select Sick Leave Certificate on the booking page and describe your symptoms. From 9.99, takes about 2 minutes.
SICK LEAVE
Sick Leave Certificate for Grief
Acute grief following a bereavement can affect your ability to function at work in ways that are just as real as a physical illness.
Book a phone consult with an AHPRA-registered GP today. If the GP determines that a certificate is clinically appropriate, it's issued and emailed the same day
AHPRA-registeredAustralian GPs
Real-time Consultation7 days a week
Same-day certificateif approved
From 9.99Transparent pricing
Full refund if not clinically appropriate • Your diagnosis stays confidential
When Grief Affects Your Ability to Work
Grief after losing someone close to you can bring on genuine physical and psychological symptoms, exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, and distress that makes a normal workday unmanageable. A sick leave certificate for grief is assessed the same way as any other condition genuinely affecting your capacity to work.
If grief is affecting your ability to work, book a phone consult with an AHPRA-registered GP.
- Significant distress affecting daily functioning
- Difficulty concentrating or managing normal work duties
- Physical symptoms of acute stress or exhaustion
- Needing time to attend to bereavement matters
What Your GP Assesses During the Consultation
The GP will ask about your current circumstances and how grief is affecting your ability to attend or perform work, gently and without needing to discuss more than you're comfortable sharing. A phone consultation is required for this type of presentation so the GP can properly assess how you're coping.
Grief Certificate vs Compassionate or Bereavement Leave
Compassionate leave (sometimes called bereavement leave) is a separate entitlement under the Fair Work Act, generally available for a short, defined period following a death or serious illness in the family, regardless of whether a medical certificate is provided. A sick leave certificate for grief is different: it covers a period of genuine incapacity assessed by a GP, and may be used if your grief continues to affect you beyond what compassionate leave covers, or if your employer requires evidence for a sick leave request.
Grief and workplace leave
Grief Leave Is Not the Same as Compassionate Leave
Compassionate leave and sick leave answer different questions. Compassionate leave is an employment entitlement linked to specified family or household events. A grief-related medical certificate is relevant when the person's own symptoms are affecting their capacity to work.
Someone may use compassionate leave first and later need personal leave if grief continues to impair sleep, concentration or day-to-day functioning. Fair Work explains compassionate and bereavement leave entitlements, while its personal leave evidence guidance covers medical evidence for illness or injury.
When Compassionate Leave Applies
Check the Fair Work compassionate-leave entitlement before assuming a medical certificate is the first document you need. The entitlement and a medical assessment serve different purposes.
When Grief Itself Affects Work Capacity
A GP assesses current function, severity and safety rather than applying a fixed grief timeline. Where symptoms are affecting the person's ability to work, personal-leave evidence may become relevant.
What Can Stay Private?
The certificate can document work incapacity without describing the death, relationship or personal grief story in detail.
Support beyond workplace documentation
If grief is becoming difficult to manage, support is available through Griefline and Beyond Blue. These services are separate from the medical certificate process.
Need immediate crisis support?
Lifeline provides crisis support. If there is immediate danger, call 000.
Certificate details
What Your OMC Health Certificate Includes
If a certificate is clinically appropriate, the issued document includes the key information needed to identify the consultation, certified period and issuing practitioner.
Assessment date
Date of the GP consultation.
Certified period
Dates covered by the certificate.
Practitioner details
Issuing GP's name and professional details.
Practice details
Details of the issuing partner practice.
Signature
Digital or written practitioner signature.
Verification
QR code or unique verification details.
Focused on the Evidence Needed
The certificate's purpose is to document the GP's assessment and the relevant period or work capacity. Clinical details are included only where appropriate to the consultation and document purpose.
Grief, Loss and Mental Health in Australia
Leave entitlements, work capacity and grief support are separate considerations. The appropriate pathway depends on your circumstances and whether grief is affecting your ability to work.
Compassionate Leave
Under the Fair Work Act, employees may be entitled to compassionate leave following a bereavement. Eligibility, notice, evidence and payment information is available from the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Separate From Sick Leave
Compassionate leave for bereavement is separate from personal or sick leave. The Fair Work Ombudsman fact sheet explains the different minimum workplace entitlements.
Work Capacity Assessment
Where grief-related symptoms are affecting your capacity to work, a GP can assess whether time away from work and a sick leave certificate are clinically appropriate.
Grief Support Services
For support beyond the medical certificate process, Griefline provides free telephone support, grief information and resources for people experiencing loss.
Why Book With OMC Health
AHPRA-registered GPs, available 7 days a week
Phone consult, no need to leave home while unwell
Certificate emailed the same day if approved
Full refund if the GP determines a certificate is not clinically appropriate
Your diagnosis stays confidential, the certificate does not disclose it to your employer
Simple steps, fast certificates.
Get your medical certificate online the same day.
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See an AHPRA Registered Doctor
Connect with an Australian registered doctor by phone or video.
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Get your certificate
If the GP determines it's clinically appropriate, your certificate is digitally issued and emailed the same day.
Secure, private and confidential.Your information is encrypted and never shared.
PRICING
Simple, transparent pricing
One-off payment. No hidden fees. If the GP declines, you get a full refund.
FROM$9.99
One-off payment. All prices include GST.
View full pricing details- AHPRA reviewed by a registered GP
- Delivered on the same day if approved
- Secure and confidential
- Full refund if GP declines
- No hidden fees
Secure payment
Same-day delivery
Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsYes. Compassionate leave is a separate entitlement under the Fair Work Act, generally for a short defined period. A sick leave certificate for grief covers a period of genuine incapacity assessed by a GP, which may extend beyond what compassionate leave covers.
Mental health and emotional presentations, including grief, are assessed by video so the GP can properly gauge how you're coping, in line with standard telehealth clinical practice for this type of consultation.
No. A medical certificate generally confirms that you were assessed and unfit for work for the certified period, without disclosing the specific diagnosis or reason. Employers can independently verify an OMC Health certificate through the certificate verification portal without accessing your private clinical information.
There's no fixed number. The GP assesses how grief is currently affecting your ability to work and certifies whatever period is clinically appropriate for your circumstances.
A telehealth consult is appropriate for certifying a period of incapacity, but for ongoing grief support, services like Griefline or your regular GP can provide longer-term counselling and care.
Get Your Certificate Today
If grief has made you unfit for work, book a phone consult now.
Helpful Resources
Grief Certificate vs Compassionate LeaveGeneral symptom and management information.
Support and Resources
Mental Health Sick Leave CertificateFor a multi-day medical certificate, if your condition requires more days to manage your health.
Grief can affect sleep, concentration, mood, energy and the ability to function at work or study. Whether medical leave is appropriate depends on your symptoms and functional impact, not grief alone. A doctor can assess your situation and discuss whether sick leave, other workplace leave options or additional support may be suitable.