Qantas has told some 20,000 employees that they will not be eligible for paid sick leave — leaving staff who may have been exposed to coronavirus in financial peril.

Key points: Qantas says workers stood down cannot get sick leave and warned staff that speaking to the media about the issue would breach their employment contracts

Qantas says workers stood down cannot get sick leave and warned staff that speaking to the media about the issue would breach their employment contracts Union leaders are angry and dismayed about the company's actions and intend to lodge a dispute with the Fair Work Commission

Union leaders are angry and dismayed about the company's actions and intend to lodge a dispute with the Fair Work Commission But a Qantas spokesman said it wasn't possible for employees to take sick leave from work when there was no work

The airline's move also means stripping sick-leave entitlements from staff who were already off work ill or injured.

Qantas and Jetstar last week announced that two-thirds of their 30,000 employees will be temporarily stood down from late March until at least the end of May.

Now, in a circular sent to employees, titled "Stand Down Detailed Q&A", Qantas has told staff:

"Sick/carer's leave will not apply during any period of stand down, so you will continue to be stood down and will not be entitled to any sick/carer's leave payments."

The Q&A goes on to address a series of questions, including: "I am currently on long term paid sick/carer's leave and I've been given a stand down notice. What happens now?"

The supplied answered says: "Once you are stood down, you will cease being entitled to sick leave/carer's leave for the duration of the stand down period."

Union leaders are angry and dismayed about the company's actions, and intend to lodge a dispute with the Fair Work Commission.

"I reckon it's pretty disgusting," said Steve Purvinas, federal secretary of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association.

"They are using the black letter law to deny employees sick leave.

"There are a dozen people I know on long-term sick leave. They've intentionally sent them stand down letters to cut off their sick leave payments."

Linda White, the national secretary of the Australian Services Union, which represents many Qantas ground staff, said it was "outrageous".

"There are a lot of people on long-term sick leave with cancer or other illness who are really sick and about to get cut off at the knees," she said.

"This will cause hardship and unfairness."

But a Qantas spokesman said it wasn't possible for employees to take sick leave from work when there was no work.

"Employees can access their annual leave and have early access to future annual leave and long-service leave if they have leave accrued," he said.

"We're just trying to make sure everybody has a job to come back to."

Speaking to media would breach contracts

Although they have been stood down, Qantas has warned staff that speaking to the media about the issue would breach their employment contracts.

But ABC News is aware of Qantas employees who fear they may have been exposed to coronavirus and will be left without paid leave if they get sick, and other staff who are suffering long-term illnesses who now fear financial ruin.

Ms White said the union had been besieged with calls from distressed Qantas staff who are in financial hardship as a result of the stand downs.

"We have people who've got no money, who are scrambling to find work and can't make payments – it's full on."

After failing to negotiate a compromise solution with Qantas, the ASU plans to fight the company in the Fair Work Commission.

It argues that the company's actions breach a provision of the Fair Work Act which, they say, prevents employers from standing down and denying sick leave to people who are eligible for leave because of illness or injury or caring responsibilities for a family member.

Qantas argues that the provisions do not apply because the employees have no "useful work" to perform and no "work" to absent from.

Last week Qantas announced it would cease all international flights and stand down two-thirds of its workforce until at least the end of May.

Unions want Qantas to ensure employees who have already been granted paid personal leave, including those currently taking paid sick leave, will be permitted to take that leave, and to permit any employee with sick leave entitlements who becomes ill while stood down to take sick leave.