Unpaid pandemic leave & annual leave changes to awards
Published 8 April 2020 | Updated 8 January 2021
On 8 April 2020, the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) made determinations 
varying 99 awards, adding unpaid pandemic leave and annual leave flexibility.
The determinations inserted a temporary new Schedule X into these 99 awards, which provided 2 weeks of unpaid pandemic leave and the ability to take twice as much annual leave at half their normal pay if their employer agreed.
The Commission has now extended Schedule X in many awards. There are different end dates for the extended unpaid pandemic leave and annual leave provisions in each award.
We’ve updated this page with the new end dates for each award.
On this page:
To find out which awards used to have Schedule X but don’t any more, and when it stopped applying in those awards, see List of awards that Schedule X no longer applies to.
Use Find my award if you’re not sure which award applies to you.
Unpaid pandemic leave
Employees who are employed under one of the affected awards can access up to 2 weeks’ unpaid pandemic leave (or more by agreement with their employer) if they're prevented from working:
- as a result of being required to self-isolate by government or medical authorities, or acting on the advice of a medical practitioner, or
- by measures taken by government or medical authorities in response to the pandemic (for example, an enforceable government direction restricting non-essential businesses).
The leave is available in full immediately to full-time, part-time and casual employees – they don’t have to accrue it.
Employees don’t have to use all their paid leave before accessing unpaid pandemic leave.
The leave needs to start before, but can finish after, the date when the unpaid pandemic leave provisions in the relevant award stop applying. If Schedule X doesn’t have a set end date in an award, the leave needs to start before 29 October 2020. Check your award in the table below to see when Schedule X stops operating.
All eligible employees can take the 2 weeks’ leave. It is not pro-rated for employees who don't work full-time.
Unpaid pandemic leave doesn’t affect other paid or unpaid leave entitlements and counts as service for entitlements under awards and the National Employment Standards.
Notice and evidence
An employee has to let their employer know that they’re going to take unpaid pandemic leave and the reason for taking the leave. This has to be done as soon as possible and can be after the leave has started. They should also say how long they'll be off or expect to be off work.
An employer can ask an employee to give evidence that shows why they took the leave.
An employer can't dismiss an employee or take any other adverse action against an employee because the employee is entitled to unpaid pandemic leave. Find out more about protections at work.
Example: Taking unpaid pandemic leave
Gerson is a casual shop assistant employed under the Retail Award. He’s received advice from a doctor that he needs to self-isolate because he was in close contact with a confirmed case.
He calls his employer to let them know his situation.
Gerson's employer discusses the different kinds of leave options he has while he's away from work. After talking about it, Gerson decides he'll take unpaid pandemic leave. On his employer’s request, Gerson emails his employer his medical certificate.
JobKeeper wage subsidy and unpaid pandemic leave
An employee receiving JobKeeper payments from their employer can still take unpaid pandemic leave under their award at the same time as receiving the JobKeeper payment.
For more information about the JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme, see JobKeeper scheme - overview.
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Annual leave at half pay
Under Schedule X, employees can take their annual leave at half pay, and double their time off work, if their employer agrees. This means an employee can get 1 week of annual leave (including annual leave loading if applicable) for every 2 weeks of annual leave they take.
The agreement has to be in writing and the employer needs to keep it as a record.
The leave needs to start before the date Schedule X stops operating in the relevant award, but can finish after that date. If Schedule X doesn’t have a set end date in an award, the leave needs to start before 29 October 2020.
An employee on leave at half pay accumulates annual leave and sick and carer’s leave as if they were on leave at full pay.
Example: Annual leave at half pay
Leah is an usher at a concert hall employed under the Live Performance Award. Her employer can’t engage all of its ushers, including Leah, because of an enforceable government direction in response to coronavirus that restricts the number of people attending the concert hall.
After talking with her employer about the situation, Leah decides to take some of her annual leave. She currently has 6 weeks of annual leave.
Instead of taking 6 weeks at normal pay, Leah asks her employer if she can take 12 weeks’ annual leave at half pay.
Leah's employer is happy with this and records the agreement in writing.
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Further award flexibility during coronavirus
The Commission has varied some awards to provide flexibility during the coronavirus outbreak. Find out more:
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Awards with unpaid pandemic leave - new end dates
The tables below outline the awards that still have Schedule X as well as its new end date in each award. If your award isn’t listed here, go to List of awards where Schedule X has stopped applying.
29 March 2021
| Award |
Schedule X end date |
| Airline Operations - Ground Staff Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Air Pilots Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Airport Employees Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Alpine Resorts Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Aluminium Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Amusement, Events and Recreation Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Aquaculture Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Architects Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Asphalt Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Banking, Finance and Insurance Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Broadcasting, Recorded Entertainment and Cinemas Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Building and Construction Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Business Equipment Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Car Parking Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Cemetery Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Children's Services Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Cleaning Services Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Commercial Sales Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Contract Call Centres Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Corrections and Detention (Private Sector) Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Cotton Ginning Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Fast Food Industry Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Fitness Industry Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Funeral Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Gardening and Landscaping Services Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Hair and Beauty Industry Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Higher Education Industry – General Staff – Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Horse and Greyhound Training Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Hospitality Industry (General) Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Horticulture Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Joinery Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Journalists Published Media Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Labour Market Assistance Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Legal Services Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Local Government Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Meat Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Miscellaneous Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Mobile Crane Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Nursery Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Pastoral Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Pest Control Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Pharmaceutical Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Poultry Processing Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Premixed Concrete Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Professional Diving Industry (Recreational) Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Professional Employees Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Racing Clubs Events Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Rail Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Registered and Licensed Clubs Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Restaurant Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| General Retail Industry Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Salt Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Seafood Processing Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Security Services Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Silviculture Award |
29 March 2021
|
| State Government Agencies Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Storage Services and Wholesale Award |
29 March 2021 |
| Sugar Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Surveying Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Timber Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Vehicle Repair, Service and Retail Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Waste Management Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Water Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Wine Industry Award |
29 March 2021
|
| Wool Storage, Sampling and Testing Award |
29 March 2021
|
30 June 2021
| Award |
Schedule X end date |
| Live Performance Award |
30 June 2021 |
Until further order of the Fair Work Commission
Schedule X will continue to apply in these awards until a further order is issued by the Fair Work Commission, which may include a decision in the proceedings AM2020/13: Health sector awards – pandemic leave 
.
Any leave taken under Schedule X under these awards needs to start by 29 March 2021.
Note: Under the Aged Care Award, the Nurses Award and the Health Services Award, employees in residential aged care may be entitled to paid pandemic leave in some circumstances. Go to Paid pandemic leave in some awards for more information.
| Award |
Schedule X end date |
| Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award |
Until further order of the Commission
|
| Aged Care Award |
Until further order of the Commission
|
| Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award |
Until further order of the Commission
|
| Health Professionals and Support Services Award |
Until further order of the Commission |
| Medical Practitioners Award |
Until further order of the Commission |
| Nurses Award |
Until further order of the Commission |
| Pharmacy Industry Award |
Until further order of the Commission |
| Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award |
Until further order of the Commission |
| Supported Employment Services Award |
Until further order of the Commission |
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Western Australia state system
As some businesses in WA are not covered by the national system, the WA Industrial Relations Commission has announced unpaid pandemic leave and annual leave flexibilities for state system employers and employees.
Our Fair Work system page has information about who isn’t covered by the national system.
Visit WA Labour Relations for detailed information for state system employers and employees on employment obligations and entitlements during coronavirus .
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