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Medical Certificate for Retail Workers

Need documentation for sick leave or carer's leave? Request your Absence from Work Certificate online for $5, reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist. No appointment required.

Request a CertificateWhen you might need one

Only $5 · Takes less than 5 minutes

Jump to: Sick & carer's leave · When you need a certificate · Can't get a GP appointment · Your employer's requirements · FAQ

  • Only $5, no appointment required
  • Reviewed by AHPRA-Registered Pharmacists
  • Certificate delivered by email
  • No certificate, no charge

Personal leave and carer's leave in retail

Retail covers a wide range of roles, from retail assistants and sales assistants to checkout operators, shelf stackers, replenishment staff and customer service teams, across supermarkets, grocery stores, department stores, shopping centres and independent shops. Depending on your employment type, whether full-time, part-time or casual, you may be able to access personal leave when you're too unwell to work, and carer's leave when you need to care for an eligible family or household member. At Sicknotes, we call the supporting documentation an Absence from Work Certificate, though you might know it as a medical certificate or sick note.

Whatever shift you're rostered on, whether it's an early opening shift stacking shelves or a busy Saturday on the checkout, your employer may ask for evidence of your absence. Sicknotes lets eligible Australians request that documentation online, without needing to book a GP appointment.

When might you need a certificate?

A few common situations where retail workers request a certificate:

  • You become unwell before an early opening shift
  • You're too unwell to work your next rostered shift, including weekends or public holidays
  • You become sick before a busy trading day
  • You need to care for a sick child or family member
  • Your employer has asked for evidence of your absence

Can't get a GP appointment around your shift?

Retail rosters don't always leave room for a GP visit, whether you're opening the store early, stocking shelves before trade, working a weekend or rostered on for late-night trading. Booking an appointment just to get paperwork can be hard to fit in. For eligible requests, Sicknotes is one option: complete your request online and have it reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, without booking an appointment.

This isn't a substitute for medical care. If your symptoms are severe, persist or worsen, or you need diagnosis, treatment or ongoing care, please see your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.

  • Only $5, no appointment required
  • Reviewed by AHPRA-Registered Pharmacists
  • Certificate delivered by email
  • No certificate, no charge
Request a Certificate

Check your employer's requirements

Retail and supermarket businesses range from small independent shops to large national chains, and employees can be covered by different awards, enterprise agreements or other employment arrangements, so requirements for providing evidence of an absence can vary between employers.

Under the Fair Work Act, employers can ask employees to provide reasonable evidence to support a claim for personal or carer's leave, and a medical certificate is one example of that evidence, although individual employers, awards and agreements can have their own requirements. If you're unsure what your employer requires, check your workplace policy before submitting your certificate. For more on your leave entitlements, see the Fair Work Ombudsman's guidance on sick and carer's leave.

How Sicknotes works

  1. 01

    Answer a few quick questions

    Tell us about your circumstances to help your pharmacist review your request. It only takes a few minutes.

  2. 02

    Pharmacist review

    An AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist reviews your request. If needed, the pharmacist may ask for some additional information to complete the review.

  3. 03

    Receive your certificate

    If appropriate, the reviewing pharmacist will issue an Absence from Work Certificate and we'll email it directly to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can retail workers get an online medical certificate?
Yes. Eligible Australians working in retail, including supermarkets, grocery stores, department stores and other shops, can request an Absence from Work Certificate online through Sicknotes. Your request is reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, and a certificate is only issued where the pharmacist determines it's appropriate.
Can supermarket workers get a sick note?
Yes. Supermarket workers, including checkout operators, shelf stackers, replenishment staff and customer service teams, can use Sicknotes in the same way as other eligible retail workers, to request an Absence from Work Certificate for personal or carer's leave.
Can I get a certificate for sick leave from a supermarket or retail job?
Yes. Sicknotes is available for eligible personal leave requests, sometimes called sick leave, whatever retail role you're in, whether that's on the shop floor, at the checkout, in the stockroom or in a supermarket.
Can I use an Absence from Work Certificate for carer's leave?
Yes. If you need documentation to support carer's leave, for example to care for a sick child or another eligible family or household member, you can request a certificate through Sicknotes for eligible circumstances.
What if I work casual shifts?
Sicknotes is available to casual, part-time and full-time retail and supermarket workers. Leave entitlements can differ depending on your employment type, so check your own arrangements or workplace policy if you're unsure what applies to you.
What if I can't get a GP appointment before my shift?
No appointment is required to submit a request. If you need diagnosis, treatment or ongoing care, or your symptoms are severe, please see your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional instead.
Will my employer accept the certificate?
Requirements can vary between employers, so we can't guarantee that every employer will accept a certificate. Sicknotes provides an Absence from Work Certificate, reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, through our standard request process. If you're unsure what your employer needs, it's worth checking your workplace policy, award or agreement before you submit it.
How much does Sicknotes cost?
Sicknotes costs just $5. If a certificate can't be issued, you'll receive a full refund.
How quickly will I receive my certificate?
We aim to review your request within one hour of submission. During busy periods, review times may be longer.
What happens if a certificate cannot be issued?
Every request is individually reviewed, and a certificate isn't guaranteed. If a certificate can't be issued, you'll receive a full refund. No certificate, no charge.

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Request your Absence from Work Certificate online today. Simple, affordable and built for a short-term absence from work.

Request a Certificate

Only $5 · No certificate, no charge