Under the Fair Work Act 2009, “immediate family” is defined as an employee’s:
- spouse
- de facto partner
- child
- parent
- grandparent
- grandchild
- sibling, or
- child, parent, grandchild or sibling of the employee’s spouse or de facto partner.
The Fair Work Ombudsman’s definition also includes a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of the employee’s former spouse or former de facto partner.
Cousins, aunts, uncles (unless they are a member of the employee’s household), and pets, etc. are not part of the definition of immediate family.