Skip to main content Skip to navigation within this section
Search
  1. Home
  2. COVID-19
  3. Leave and sick leave - Covid-19

Leave and sick leave - Covid-19

In response to questions received, here's an explanation of the leave situation for staff unable to go to work as normal because of the pandemic response.

Guidance on Injury/Illness Leave

If you are currently on injury leave, sick leave or light duties, here's how the current situation will affect you, and what leave you will be placed on.

Current Personnel on Injury leave

If you are on work accident or non-work accident injury leave, you will continue to receive your weekly compensation entitlements as per your medical certificates – i.e. if you are currently certified for light work, you  will remain on 100% average earnings, as detailed in the agreed timelines outlined in your rehabilitation plan.

Submit timesheets as normal, even if you can't practicably carry out your return to work duties – indicate on your timesheet “unable to complete return to work duties due to COVID-19”

Current Personnel on Illness/Sick leave - New information

If you are currently on sick leave, you will continue on sick leave until fit for work or cleared for return to work duties according to the standard process.

When you are medically cleared to be back at work, then you are deemed fully fit to return.

If your case is currently under management, you will continue to receive support through the Injury Management Unit team. If you need more clarification, discuss it with your line manager.

If you are disadvantaged by delays in getting clearance for return to work duties because of the current COVID-19 situation, and you would clearly have had clearance earlier, or would have received management sign-off earlier, but that wasn't available due to other more pressing matters, we will sort the effective date of change in pay relating to return to work duties clearance on a case-by-case basis.

Future Injury/Illness

If you need require assistance from the Injury Management Unit following an injury or illness during the COVID-19 pandemic, follow standard process.

If you are cleared for light duties that are not currently available due to the workplace limitations of COVID-19, you will be treated as if on light duties and paid accordingly.

Leave

If you... and... then...
become sick with COVID-19 -  New information you have sought medical advice

Let your manager know immediately and do not come to work. You will be placed on sick leave. Stay home for your required isolation period and until you are symptom-free.
once you test positive for COVID-19

You should follow MoH advice and report your positive result online or by calling the helpline. The Ministry of Health will then send you a text message from the official 2328 or 2648 numbers to confirm your positive result. This has information about self-isolation, support options, and a 6-digit access code for the online contact tracing form.

You also need to tell your close contacts you have COVID-19. This includes the people you live with, and your workplace.

  • You must self-isolate for 5 days while you recover. Day 0 is the day your symptoms started or when you tested positive, whichever came first
  • Once your isolation period is completed you can return to work
you run out of sick leave

Discuss this with your manager. They will follow Fire and Emergency's standard procedures for when staff run out of sick leave and discuss this with you.
are a household contact Household contacts are no longer required to isolate and may return to work in accordance with Government guidance, Fire and Emergencies Baseline Health Measure and the Fire and Emergency Rapid Antigen Testing of Household Contacts Policy and Procedure.
you become sick - New information
  • Please advise your manager and you will be placed on sick leave
  • You will be required to complete your isolation period before returning to work
are on annual leave become sick during that time
  • You will be placed on sick leave for the period you are sick, and any annual leave booked during that time will be re-credited, using the standard leave process applicable e.g. pro rata days for operational staff, or simply adding annual leave days lost back for non-operational staff.
  • Seek medical advice through Healthline or your GP. Please advise them if you are experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms for them to assess any COVID-19 testing requirements.
are feeling unwell after your COVID-19 vaccination

you experience a reaction(external link) that your GP/health provider would not consider normal
  • Do not come to work and advise your manager
  • Seek medical advice through your GP or Healthline. They will provide advice on the best way to manage your symptoms and confirm any other steps that may be required.
  • Where the criteria of injury treatment is met, our normal injury assessment processes would be triggered.



Last modified: