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Medical Certificate for Tradies

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 for tradies

Tradies work across a huge range of trades, builders, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters, tilers, bricklayers, roofers, landscapers and concreters, plus labourers, apprentices and other construction and maintenance workers. Depending on your employment type, whether you're an employee, apprentice 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.

Whether you're heading to an early start on site or lined up for a physically demanding day, 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 tradies request a certificate:

  • You become unwell before heading to a job site
  • You're too unwell to safely work your next shift
  • You wake up sick before an early start
  • 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 before your next job?

Early starts, job-site schedules and changing work locations don't always leave room for a GP visit. Booking an appointment just to get paperwork can be hard to fit in around site start times. 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

Safety comes first on site

Trade and construction work often involves tools, machinery, vehicles, heights and other hazards. If you're unwell or otherwise not able to safely do your job, follow your employer's usual workplace procedures rather than pushing through.

An Absence from Work Certificate supports a personal or carer's leave request. It isn't a fitness-for-work assessment, and it doesn't determine whether you're safe to operate machinery, drive or work at height. If you're in any doubt about your ability to work safely, speak with your employer or supervisor.

Check your employer's requirements

Tradies can be employed under different awards, enterprise agreements or other arrangements, and building and construction businesses range from small local outfits to large national contractors, 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 tradies get an online medical certificate?
Yes. Eligible Australians working in trades and construction, including builders, carpenters, electricians, plumbers and other tradespeople, 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 construction workers get a sick note?
Yes. Construction workers, including labourers, site workers and other trade roles, can use Sicknotes in the same way as other eligible tradies, to request an Absence from Work Certificate for personal or carer's leave.
Can builders, electricians and plumbers use Sicknotes?
Yes. Sicknotes is available for eligible personal leave requests, sometimes called sick leave, whatever trade you work in, whether that's building, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting or another trade.
Can I get a certificate if I can't get to a GP before my early start?
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.
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'm an apprentice?
Sicknotes is available to apprentices as well as qualified tradespeople. Leave entitlements can differ depending on your training arrangement and employer, so check your own arrangements or workplace policy if you're unsure what applies to you.
What if I work casually?
Sicknotes is available to casual, part-time and full-time workers in trades and construction. 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'm a contractor or self-employed?
Sicknotes is primarily intended for workers who need to provide documentation to an employer for personal or carer's leave. If you work as a contractor or sole trader, an Absence from Work Certificate may not serve the same purpose it does for an employee, so consider whether it's the right fit for your situation before submitting a request.
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