Can My Boss Make Me Find Someone to Cover My Shift? (Australia)
Called in sick and told to 'find your own cover or you're in trouble'? In Australia, arranging replacements for rostered shifts is the employer's job — not yours. Here's what the law actually says.
Prepared with AI assistance and checked against primary sources. How we work
Short answer: no
If you can't work a rostered shift — because you're sick, or for any other genuine reason — it is your employer's responsibility to arrange cover, not yours. This comes up constantly in retail and hospitality: a worker calls in sick and is told to "find someone to cover or don't bother coming back". That's not a lawful requirement, and you can't be validly disciplined just for not lining up your own replacement.
What you DO have to do
- Give notice. Tell your employer you can't make the shift as soon as practicable.
- Provide evidence for paid leave. To be paid personal/carer's leave, you generally need a medical certificate or statutory declaration.
- Turn up for shifts you've agreed to where you reasonably can — repeated, unexplained no-shows are a different matter.
But notifying and providing evidence is the extent of it. Sourcing a replacement is a rostering decision, and rostering is management's job.
If you're being punished for it
Having your shifts cut, being given a warning, or being let go because you took leave you're entitled to can be unlawful adverse action under the general protections. Keep a record of the messages, check your entitlements with the sick leave checker, and use the Can My Boss Legally Make Me…? checker for the specifics. For your exact situation, ask FairWork Mate AI.
FairWork Mate AI
Have a question this article didn't cover?
Cited answers grounded in the Fair Work Act, your award and the Fair Work Commission decisions behind them. Free to start.
Ask the advisor →Pro is $29.99/mo for 150 questions, or a $14.99 7-Day Pass covers 50 questions over 7 days. See plans
Get pay and rights updates for your job
Free email updates when award rates, the minimum wage or workplace laws change.
Free forever. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Official resources
General information and estimates only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Always check your specific award, agreement or contract, or a qualified professional, before you rely on the result.
Related articles
Enterprise agreements and Modern Awards both set workplace conditions, but they work differently. Learn the BOOT test, how EAs are made, zombie agreements, and how to check which applies to you.
National Employment Standards (NES) — Complete Summary of Your 11 RightsThe NES gives every Australian employee 12 minimum workplace rights. Here is a plain-English summary of each entitlement — maximum hours, leave, flexible arrangements, termination, and more.
Right to Disconnect Australia — What the New Law Means for YouAustralia's right to disconnect law lets employees refuse unreasonable out-of-hours contact. Learn who it covers, what counts as unreasonable, and how the FWC enforces it.
How to Make a Fair Work Complaint — Step-by-Step GuideLearn how to lodge a complaint with the Fair Work Ombudsman or Fair Work Commission. Step-by-step process, evidence checklist, timelines, and what to expect.
FairWork Mate is an independent Australian publisher of workplace-rights information. Our content is prepared with AI assistance and draws on primary sources — the Fair Work Act, modern awards, and Fair Work Commission and Fair Work Ombudsman material. It is general information, not legal advice.