Want to take leave or call in sick to play Grand Theft Auto 6? Here’s how not to break the law

NurPhoto/Getty Images Australians and New Zealanders will be the first gamers in the world to play R-rated video game Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA6) – and employers are being warned it could mean some staff don’t turn up to work on Friday November 20.

Game developer Rockstar Games is planning a staggered, late-night, global release on November 19, rather than a simultaneous launch.

This means gamers across the Tasman will start playing GTA6 hours before most other places, including Miami in the United States, which inspired the game’s “Vice City” setting.

GTA6 has already made an estimated US$600 million in pre-sales revenue, even a month before its release.

The game is widely forecast to set new record multi-billion-dollar sales worldwide.

In July, one US Army battalion offered a special four-day leave pass for soldiers to play the game as soon as it’s released, in return for re-enlisting for at least another two years with the army.

At least 20 soldiers are confirmed to have taken the deal.

Meanwhile, social media has been awash with videos and posts about people planning not to turn up to work on November 20.

Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman even put out a GTA6-themed post this month, in anticipation of extra unpaid leave requests.

So what are the rules for taking leave in Australia or New Zealand? Leave rules in Australia If you are an employee covered by Australia’s Fair Work Act, you accrue different types of leave, which you can access in different circumstances.

Annual leave can be taken for any reason, provided that you have agreed with your employer about when you will take it and you have leave accrued.

If too many employees want to take leave on the same day, an employer might need to say no.

They need to make sure they have enough staff to keep their business operational.

So if you want time off on November 20, the best course of action is to book annual leave well in advance to avoid potential disappointment.