SICK LEAVE

Sick Leave Certificate Online

Need time off from work due to illness? Consult with an AHPRA-registered Australian GP in real time. If clinically appropriate, your certificate may be issued and emailed the same day.

  • Real-time phone consult
  • AHPRA-registered Australian GPs
  • Secure and confidential process
  • Same-day issuance if approved
From 9.99 · Transparent pricing · Digital certificate delivery
Man at home using smartphone to book a sick leave certificate online through OMC Health
From $9.99
  • One-off payment
  • Full refund if declined
  • Certificate emailed as PDF

Trusted Australian Medical Certificate Platform

OMC Health focuses exclusively on medical certifications. A sick leave certificate is issued by an AHPRA-registered Australian GP after a real-time phone consultation. If clinically appropriate, your certificate is digitally signed and emailed the same day. Consultations are available 7 days.

AHPRA-registered doctors

Secure patient information

Fair Work aligned documentation

Digital verification support

Sick leave evidence

What Is a Sick Leave Certificate?

A sick leave certificate is medical evidence from a registered health practitioner confirming that, following an assessment, you were considered unfit for work because of illness or injury for a specified period.

Under the Fair Work Act 2009, an employer may ask for evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that the employee was entitled to personal leave. A medical certificate is one commonly used form of evidence. An award, registered agreement or workplace policy may also set evidence requirements.

OMC Health connects patients with partner GPs who assess each request individually through a real-time consultation. The certificate is the outcome of that clinical assessment when the GP considers certification appropriate; it is not automatically generated from a questionnaire or booking request.

What the certificate actually confirms

It records the GP's clinical view about your capacity for work for the certified period. It does not automatically establish a diagnosis, predict recovery or determine how your employer will administer the leave.

From request to clinical decision

A Certificate Is the Outcome of a GP Assessment

1

You explain what is happening

The consultation covers your current symptoms, when they began, relevant history and the dates for which work capacity is being assessed.

2

The GP assesses your actual work capacity

The key question is not simply whether you feel unwell, but whether the illness or injury makes you medically unfit to perform your work for the period being considered.

3

The GP makes the certification decision

If the assessment supports time away from work, the GP can issue the appropriate certificate for the clinically supported period. If it does not, certification may be declined.

No questionnaire-only approval

Every request is assessed in real time with an AHPRA-registered GP by phone or video, depending on the clinical assessment and consultation method arranged.

Who May Need a Sick Leave Certificate?

Sick leave certificates may be requested by employers for any period of personal leave when the request is reasonable, in line with Fair Work Ombudsman guidance on paid sick and carer's leave. They are needed by employees, casual workers, shift workers and anyone whose workplace requires evidence of a health-related absence.

Requirements vary by workplace, award and enterprise agreement. The Fair Work Act does not set a minimum number of sick days before a certificate can be requested.

Employees

Absence situation: Work absences due to illness or injury.

When evidence may be needed: Employer requests a medical certificate.

Casual Workers

Absence situation: Workplaces requesting evidence of absence.

When evidence may be needed: Proof may be needed for missed shifts.

Shift Workers

Absence situation: Rostered work absences.

When evidence may be needed: Missed scheduled shifts.

Mental Health

Absence situation: Periods of genuine unfitness for work.

When evidence may be needed: Work, study or attendance requirements.

Multi-day Absence

Absence situation: Extended illness requiring recovery time.

When evidence may be needed: Longer absence period requiring medical evidence.

Need medical evidence for study, exams or special consideration? See our Student Medical Certificate service.

How to get a Sick Leave Certificate Online

Getting a sick leave certificate online through OMC Health takes three steps:

1

Book Your Certificate

Select the certificate type and begin your booking.
2

Consult with an AHPRA-Registered GP

Speak in real time by phone.
3

Receive Your Certificate If Approved

Digitally issued and emailed same day.

Get your Sick Leave Certificate today

Speak with an AHPRA-registered Australian GP online.

Start my sick leave certificate

What the GP Assesses During the Consult

During your consultation, the GP assesses your symptoms, how they affect your work capacity, and whether a certificate is clinically warranted. The GP exercises full clinical discretion, certificates are never issued automatically.

  • ✓Your symptoms and medical history
  • ✓How your condition impacts work capacity
  • ✓Recovery needs and recommended rest
  • ✓Appropriate certificate duration
  • ✓Mental health and wellbeing considerations

These template cards utilize sample data exclusively and should never be populated with actual patient assessments.

Illustrative Example Cards

This dataset contains sample data and does not represent real patients.

Consultation Summary

Dummy data only

Sample
Consultation TypePhone consult
GPAHPRA GP
DateToday
StatusLive consultation completed

Sample placeholder only.

Clinical Assessment

Dummy data only

Sample
  • Symptoms reviewed✓
  • Medical history reviewed✓
  • Work capacity assessed✓
  • Duration recommended✓
  • Certificate appropriate✓

Outcomes are subject to the results of the consultation.

Certified leave period

How the GP Decides the Certified Period

A one-day and a multi-day sick leave certificate should not be presented as different levels of medical assessment. In both cases, the GP reviews the current illness or injury, how it affects the person's ability to work, the expected recovery pattern and any safety concerns.

The difference is the period the GP can reasonably support after assessment. A short, self-limiting illness may justify a single day. Symptoms that still affect work capacity, or a recovery period clinically expected to last longer, may support more than one day. The patient does not select the certified duration.

Certificate duration is based on the GP's assessment of work capacity and the clinically supported recovery period.

How single-day and multi-day periods differ

The assessment standard does not change according to the number of days. The GP determines how long the available clinical information reasonably supports time away from work.

Single-day certificate

✓

May be appropriate where the illness or injury affects work capacity for one day.

✓

Can suit a short, self-limiting illness when a longer absence is not clinically supported.

✓

The GP still considers symptoms, work duties, recovery expectations and relevant safety concerns.

A one-day period does not mean the consultation involves a lower level of assessment.

Multi-day certificate

✓

May be appropriate where symptoms are expected to continue affecting work capacity beyond one day.

✓

The supported period reflects the GP's assessment of the likely recovery pattern and ability to perform work safely.

✓

The patient does not choose the number of certified days.

More days do not mean a different assessment standard. The difference is the period the GP can clinically support.

Certificate details

What Your OMC Health Sick Leave Certificate Includes

An OMC Health sick leave certificate records the consultation and issue details, the certified period and the issuing practitioner's details. The exact evidence an employer requires can depend on the workplace and the circumstances.

These details help identify when the assessment occurred, the period covered and the practitioner responsible for issuing the certificate. The exact evidence required may also depend on the workplace and document purpose.

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.

Document checklist

Certificate requirements

Six core details identify the consultation, issuing practitioner and certificate.

6 core details

Assessment date

Date of the GP consultation.

Certified period

Dates covered by the certificate.

Practitioner details

Issuing GP's name and AHPRA registration details.

Practice details

Details of the issuing partner practice.

Signature

Digital or written practitioner signature.

Verification

QR code or unique verification details.

Verification details help support authenticity checks for the issued certificate.

Common Sick Leave Certificate Situations

Different work and health situations can raise different questions about sick leave evidence. Explore guidance on multi-day leave, backdated certificates, casual employment, employer evidence requirements, mental health-related absences and certificates for specific conditions.

How Long Can a Sick Leave Certificate Cover?

The GP determines the appropriate certificate duration based on your clinical assessment. A certificate may cover a single day, multiple days or another clinically supported short-term period, depending on your circumstances.

Multi-day sick leave certificate→

Can You Get a Sick Leave Certificate for Yesterday?

A GP may certify a prior period where the clinical assessment and available information support that you were unfit for work during those dates.

Retrospective coverage is not automatic. The GP decides what period can reasonably be supported.

Backdated sick leave certificate→

Do Casual Employees Need a Sick Leave Certificate?

Casual employees do not accrue paid personal leave under the National Employment Standards, but medical evidence may still be relevant depending on workplace requirements or the reason documentation is needed.

Check the applicable workplace policy, award, agreement or other requirement rather than assuming the same rule applies in every casual role.

Sick leave certificate for casual employees→

What If an Employer Questions an Online Sick Leave Certificate?

An online medical certificate can provide workplace evidence when it is genuinely issued after an appropriate clinical assessment. Workplace policies, awards or registered agreements may affect what evidence is requested. If an employer questions an OMC Health certificate, use its verification details rather than assuming every document must be accepted automatically.

Do Online Doctors Call Your Boss?→

Sick Leave Certificates for Mental Health

Mental health symptoms can affect concentration, judgement, emotional regulation and a person's ability to work safely or effectively. OMC Health assesses mental health presentations by video so the GP can consider current symptoms, functional impact and safety before deciding whether certification is appropriate.

Related guidance covers ADHD burnout and sick leave and whether a single panic attack may justify a day off work.

If you are in crisis, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 rather than booking a certificate consultation.

Mental health sick leave certificate→

Sick Leave Certificates for Common Health Conditions

Different conditions can affect work capacity in different ways. The important question is not simply the diagnosis, but how current symptoms affect your ability to perform your actual duties safely and effectively.

Browse the condition hub for guidance on common presentations, telehealth suitability, functional impact and situations where urgent or in-person medical care may be more appropriate than a certificate consultation.

Browse common sick leave conditions→
PRICING

Simple, transparent pricing

One-off payment. No hidden fees. If the consulting GP determines a certificate is not clinically appropriate, a full refund is provided.
FROM$9.99
One-off payment. All prices include GST.
View full pricing details
  • Real-time GP consultation
  • Certificate assessment
  • Digital certificate delivery if approved
  • Full refund if GP declines
Start my certificate
Secure payment
Same-day delivery
Illustration shows OMC Health is connected to different practices, clinics and AHPRA registered doctors.

Issued through our partner practice network

Your consultation is conducted by an AHPRA-registered GP from one of 20+ partner practices across Australia. The certificate is issued under that GP's own registration.

About our partner practices

Certificate Verification

Each sick leave certificate includes verification details so employers and approved parties can confirm whether the certificate is genuine.

Unique certificate ID

A unique ID helps match the certificate to the original GP-issued record.

QR verification code

The QR code links to the certificate verification page.

Issuing GP details

Includes the issuing GP name and AHPRA registration number.

Partner practice details

Shows the partner practice name and issuing practice details.

Start your sick leave certificate consultation

Real-time consultations with AHPRA-registered Australian GPs from our partner practices. Certificates issued online if clinically appropriate.

Start my sick leave certificate
  • Real-time GP
  • Secure & Private
  • Australia-wide

Frequently asked questions

View all FAQs

An online sick leave certificate can provide evidence for time away from work when illness or injury affects your capacity to perform your duties. You still need a clinical assessment with a doctor. If the doctor considers certification appropriate, the certificate can cover the assessed period without necessarily disclosing your diagnosis to your employer.