Yes, it is possible to get medical certificates online in Australia, if the doctor is appropriately trained and fully registered with AHPRA. These days it is quite common for Australian GPs and specialists to assess their patients via video consultation, for all sorts of health issues. You should expect the doctor to ask you some questions about your medical history and your symptoms, just as they would in a regular clinic. A medical certificate can be backdated by our doctors, subject to assessment, and provided the period of sick leave is very recent, e.g. within the past few days. The date of the consultation appears at the top of the certificate, and the relevant dates of sick leave are stated in the certificate also.

A medical certificate issued via an appropriately conducted online assessment is a legal document, just the same as one you’d receive in a clinic. For more information on your rights as an employee go to www.fairwork.gov.au .   

It is also important to note that an online doctor may occasionally advise you to see a doctor in person instead, for example, if they assess that you are more significantly unwell and a physical examination is needed.

Yes, an online medical certificate from one of our doctors is a legal document and contains all the appropriate information you’d expect- including relevant dates, full professional details of the doctor, and their signature. Qoctor has issued over 50,000 online medical certificates to date. Our service is supported by employees and employers alike.

An employee must inform their employer if intending to take sick leave or carer’s leave. This has to be done as soon as possible, but can be after the leave has started. It should be specified how long the absence from work will be, or is expected to be.

An employer can ask an employee to give evidence that confirms they took leave because they were unable  to work because of an illness or injury, or needed to care for an immediate family or household member who was experiencing illness, injury, or unexpected emergency.

Employers are entitled to ask employees for evidence for as little as 1 day or less off work.

An employee who does not provide their employer with evidence when asked may not be entitled to be paid for sick leave or carer’s leave.

An award or registered agreement can specify the circumstances in which an employee must give evidence to their employer and what type of evidence is required. The type of evidence requested must be reasonable in the circumstances.

Medical certificates and statutory declarations (stat decs) are  considered acceptable forms of evidence.  Although there are no strict rules on what type of evidence should be provided by an employee, the evidence has to convince a reasonable person that the employee was genuinely entitled to the leave.

What about medical appointments and planned surgery?

Medical appointments and elective surgeries that are pre-arranged can only be covered by sick leave if an employee is unable to work because of an illness or injury. It will depend on each individual circumstance. An employer can ask for evidence from an employee to confirm that they were unfit for work. This can help decide whether an employee should be paid sick leave or a different type of leave/entitlement.

Employers attending medical appointments

It is not considered reasonable for an employer to attend a medical appointment with an employee, unless the employee requests it. It is also not considered reasonable for an employer to contact the employee’s doctor to obtain information.

Further information about Australian law relating to sick leave and your rights as an employee can be found at www.fairwork.gov.au