Do I have to exhaust my Personal Leave before accessing COVID-19 leave, if I am diagnosed with COVID?
Government Sector Labour Relations have recently revised *Circular 6/2020 – Leave arrangements for COVID-19* to reinstate public sector employees' access to 20 days of paid COVID-19 leave in the event they are subject to a Government requirement to isolate or quarantine: See Circular 6.
The balance of available days of COVID-19 leave is reset to 20 days for each employee on 5 February 2022, irrespective of the number of days taken by an employee before that date.
Clause 2 of the revised Circular provides that on or after 9 February 2022, employees who test positive to COVID-19 can access COVID-19 leave before existing personal or sick leave entitlements.
In compelling circumstances, an employer may extend the number of days of COVID-19 leave available for an individual employee who is unable to attend work because of:
- testing positive to COVID-19, or
- a Government requirement to isolate or quarantine because of exposure or possible exposure to COVID-19 at work.
