The Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 covers a wide range of healthcare workers — from nurses and allied health professionals to orderlies, ward clerks, and dental technicians. The award’s leave provisions interact with state health enterprise agreements and public hospital agreements that often sit above them, creating layers of complexity that healthcare employers must navigate carefully.

This guide covers the HPSS Award’s leave entitlements in 2026: annual leave, leave loading, personal/carer’s leave, and the compliance traps specific to the healthcare sector.

Key takeaways

  • Full-time health employees receive 4 weeks annual leave under the HPSS Award, with 5 weeks for shiftworkers.
  • The award provides 17.5% leave loading on annual leave, paid on the base rate of pay.
  • Full-time employees accrue 10 days personal/carer’s leave per year, consistent with the NES.
  • Part-time employees receive pro-rata entitlements based on ordinary hours.
  • Many public hospital employees are covered by state enterprise agreements that may provide above-award entitlements — always check the applicable instrument.

Annual leave under the HPSS Award

Full-time employees covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award receive the NES minimum of 4 weeks (152 hours for a 38-hour week) of paid annual leave. Leave accrues progressively based on ordinary hours. Overtime, on-call payments, and allowances do not count toward accrual.

The award provides an additional week — 5 weeks (190 hours) — for employees who qualify as shiftworkers. The HPSS Award defines shiftworkers as employees who work rotating shifts across all days including weekends and public holidays, and who are not primarily day workers.

Leave loading

The HPSS Award provides 17.5% leave loading on annual leave, calculated on the employee’s base rate of pay. The “greater of” provision applies: the employee receives whichever is higher — the 17.5% loading or the penalty rates they would have earned if working during that period.

Healthcare employees who regularly work weekends and public holidays — particularly nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals on rotating rosters — often have penalty rate equivalents that exceed 17.5%.

Worked example

Sarah is a registered nurse earning $35.00/hour base rate, regularly working weekends at 150% and public holidays at 250%.

  • One week of annual leave base pay: 38 hours × $35.00 = $1,330.00
  • Leave loading at 17.5%: $1,330.00 × 17.5% = $232.75
  • Penalty rate equivalent for a week with one public holiday: 7.6 hrs × $35.00 × 250% + other shifts at applicable penalties — significantly exceeds $232.75
  • Sarah receives: the penalty rate equivalent

Personal/carer’s leave

The HPSS Award follows the NES: full-time employees receive 10 days per year of paid personal/carer’s leave, accruing progressively and accumulating year to year. Part-time employees receive a pro-rata amount based on their ordinary hours.

Healthcare-specific considerations:

  • Evidence requirements in healthcare settings often include statutory declarations or medical certificates, and some enterprise agreements specify particular evidence requirements
  • Personal/carer’s leave can be used for the employee’s own illness, caring responsibilities, or unexpected family emergencies
  • The employer can request evidence but must not impose excessive requirements

Casual employees receive 2 days unpaid carer’s leave per occasion.

Compassionate leave and family leave

All healthcare employees, including casuals, receive 2 days compassionate leave per occasion. Full-time and part-time employees are paid; casuals are unpaid. Family and domestic violence leave provides 10 days paid leave per year for all employees, including casuals, available from day one.

Long service leave

Long service leave is state-based and varies by jurisdiction. Key entitlements:

  • Victoria: 8.67 weeks after 7 years
  • New South Wales: 2 months after 10 years
  • South Australia: 13 weeks after 10 years
  • Queensland: 8.67 weeks after 10 years

Many public hospital employees also have long service leave provisions under state health enterprise agreements that may differ from the general state legislation.

Enterprise agreements in healthcare

A critical complexity in the healthcare sector is the interaction between the HPSS Award and enterprise agreements. Many public hospital employees are covered by state health enterprise agreements that sit above the award and may provide:

  • Higher annual leave entitlements (e.g., 5 weeks for all full-time employees, not just shiftworkers)
  • Additional personal/carer’s leave
  • Enhanced long service leave provisions
  • Different leave loading calculations

An enterprise agreement can never provide less than the NES floor, but it can and often does provide more. Always check which instrument applies to each employee.

Common compliance traps in healthcare

1. Applying the award when an enterprise agreement governs

Many healthcare employers apply the HPSS Award when a state enterprise agreement actually governs the employee’s entitlements. This can result in underpayment if the agreement provides above-award leave.

2. Incorrect shiftworker classification

Not all healthcare employees who work some weekends qualify as shiftworkers. The HPSS Award requires regular rotating shifts across all days — a GP receptionist who works one Saturday per month does not typically qualify.

3. Leave loading on enterprise agreement employees

Some enterprise agreements provide different leave loading provisions — or no leave loading at all if the base pay rate already accounts for it. Applying the award’s 17.5% when the agreement specifies differently creates errors.

4. Part-time nurse accrual

Part-time nursing staff are common in healthcare. Their pro-rata leave entitlements must be recalculated when their ordinary hours change — a frequent occurrence with rotating rosters.

Putting it into practice

Five checks cover most HPSS Award healthcare leave compliance:

  1. Verify whether the HPSS Award or a state enterprise agreement governs each employee’s entitlements.
  2. Identify shiftworkers for the fifth week of annual leave under the correct definition.
  3. Apply the “greater of” test for leave loading against penalty rates.
  4. Recalculate part-time leave when ordinary hours change.
  5. Check enterprise agreement provisions against the award — do not assume the award governs.
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Tracking leave entitlements across the HPSS Award and multiple state enterprise agreements — where each instrument may provide different leave loading, shiftworker definitions, and accrual rules — is exactly the kind of complexity that creates compliance risk. A leave management system built for Australian awards automates this layering and flags discrepancies before they become underpayment claims.

Sources

Last updated: 26 July 2026. This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm current award or enterprise agreement provisions with the Fair Work Ombudsman or an employment lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

Does the HPSS Award apply to all healthcare workers?

No. The award covers specific health professionals and support services employees. Many public hospital employees are instead governed by state enterprise agreements that may provide different (often higher) entitlements. Always check which instrument applies.

What is leave loading for healthcare employees?

The HPSS Award provides 17.5% leave loading on annual leave, calculated on the base rate. A “greater of” provision applies — the employee receives whichever is higher: the 17.5% or the penalty rates they would have earned if working.

Do part-time healthcare employees get pro-rata leave?

Yes. Part-time employees receive all NES and award leave entitlements on a pro-rata basis based on their ordinary hours. Leave must be recalculated when hours change.

How does long service leave work in healthcare?

Long service leave is state-based legislation and varies by jurisdiction. Additionally, many public hospital employees have long service leave provisions under state enterprise agreements that may differ from general state law.

Do casual healthcare employees get paid sick leave?

No. Casual employees do not receive paid personal/carer’s leave. They are entitled to 2 days unpaid carer’s leave per occasion and 2 days paid compassionate leave per occasion.