We all get sick from time to time, and New Zealand law in the form of the Holidays Act 2003 recognises that an employee will be paid for some of those times, and rightly so.

As a general rule, the minimum sick leave available is five days per year. Employees receive another five days sick leave for each twelve month period following on from that. This entitlement should be enshrined in an employee’s agreement with their employer.

A prerequisite to using sick leave is that an employee must have been in the same job for a continuous period of six months. There are also a minimum number of hours each week that underpin the entitlement.

Sick leave is available if an employee is sick or injured or when a spouse or partner who depends on the employee is sick or injured. The availability of ACC is relevant when injuries occur.

Longer sick leave periods can be negotiated with an employer. Any unclaimed leave can be carried over from year to year, but accumulation options are to be clarified on a case-by-case basis.

But who wants to be sick?